If you would like to be part of the temporary steering group, or if you have feedback or input you would like to contribute, please email Jennifer@SouthWestWales.co, or call 07917 587073.

Here follows a report of the second virtual meeting of the temporary steering group on 26th June 2020.  You can find the agenda circulated for the steering group meeting, as well as a write up of notes from the event below.

You can listen to an audio recording of the full 2 hour meeting below:

Following a press release from Pembrokeshire County Council, almost £1.8m of funding will be allocated towards various transport improvements. £667,000 of the grant will go to the Local Transport Fund, which will fund the detailed design and planning of three major transport schemes in Haverfordwest, Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock.

Under the Welsh transport appraisal guidance (WelTAG) framework provided by the Welsh Government, Haverfordwest is currently at Stage Three, which is a full business case, whilst Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock are at Stage One & Two. (You can find a detailed explanation of each stage here.)

In Haverfordwest, the initiative comprises a new bus station, coach parking, active travel facilities and multi-storey car park. In Pembroke Dock the funding will be used to draw up a ‘preliminary design’ to improve links to the public transport interchange between the town’s rail station, the London road nearby retail park and Water Street.

Finally, in Milford Haven, it includes plans to improve the existing rail station and associated coach provision.  The local transport grant will allow for revision of a design drawn up in 2014 intended to improve upon transport links and active travel facilities.

Meetings between South West Wales Connected and Milford Placeboard have highlighted a shared goal of redefining Milford Haven as a welcoming and positive location to arrive at by rail. A new station building could provide opportunities for community hubs and organisations to be set up and friendlier public transport links could encourage more footfall to Milford Haven’s various festivals and celebrations whilst reducing congestion and environmental impact. 

With regards to South West Wales Connected’s website, we need to converse with relevant parties in regards to integration of content being produced by councils and tourism partners. Our aim is to develop an inclusive and accessible website that is helpful to tourists and residents from across the region and signpost towards resources provided by other organisations, whilst still providing our own content, such as blogs, events and community news.

• Website – Local authority Tourism pages align with Visit Wales – Year of the Outdoors extended to 2021.  Ensure SWW Connected website is accessible for all, maps for assisted technology users.
• Public Transport message – Essential travel only remains the key message.  As recovery continues, the public may be wary of public transport.  When the time is right, the railway will be promoted as ‘open’ and ‘safe’
• Community projects – funding to be applied for to support community schemes and activities.
• ‘Transforming Towns’ – Welsh Government’s focus on regeneration  – encouragement of food markets in towns one idea amongst many.
• Community gardens and community growing projects – researched across the region.

We want to develop a collaborative alliance between organisations, communities and businesses to recognise and work towards the aims of the CRP. We have drafted an agenda outlining our terms of reference.

The CRP aims to develop a collaborative alliance between organisations, communities and businesses, and ensure that they are involved in every step of the CRP’s goals. It’s important to communicate how we can make the railway more accessible and encourage a welcoming network of stations. Developments should take place to allow people with disabilities to have easier and more comfortable access to rail transport.

Accessibility for cycle transport is also another key point brought up during these steering group meetings. Cycling is an important past-time for many and it seems necessary to build connections along the network using cycle carriages to encourage active travel. With cycling and walking being critical connectors, it’s important to encourage people to return to sustainable transport.

The regeneration of stations is one of the first steps that the CRP will involve itself in. The future of Milford Haven station is seeing future development efforts to encourage rail transport. Local stakeholders such as TfW, the Port Authority and Milford Haven town board are working together to envision the future of Milford Haven. Massive developments are planned within the next 18 months – 2 years, such as a conference centre and a 150 bed hotel, just moments from the train station. There’s an opportunity provided to promote sustainable travel to Milford Haven. Discussions with local communities and businesses provide insight into how to undertake improvement of the arrival opportunities to Milford Haven. This can become a great example of local community members and businesses being the experts in the investment of the area. It’s key to bring everyone together to explore possibilities and share knowledge.

Since the last steering group meeting, we have appointed a Community Rail Officer, Jennifer Barfoot.  

For the past nine years Jennifer has been employed by the four local authorities across South West Wales, delivering regional transport projects mostly within the educational sector. In 2016 the four local authorities were successful in their GWR CCIF application and Jennifer set up and ran ‘My Train Wales’ – a regional safety and promotional initiative delivered to schools and social groups across the region.

As Community Rail Officer, Jennifer can take the lead in terms of reference, activity and business plans, website and preparations for when we can promote our rail networks once again. TfW is looking to employ CRP Ambassadors, who will work with Jennifer. 

• Recovery – Recently TfW have been working with their partner organisations to develop a multi agency approach to encourage the public back onto public transport when the appropriate restrictions are lifted and the time is ‘right’.  Due consideration given to cleanliness and social distancing.
• Wellbeing and Future Generations – Wellbeing is key for us all during this time of lockdown and will continue to be as we enter the recovery phase
• Inclusion – In terms of widening the net of organisations to be involved in the Partnership (walking/cycling groups) We should move to make all stations more inclusive and welcoming.
• Sustainability – Not just in terms of transportation but also consideration of the natural and built environment surrounding stations in relation to bio-diversity
• Hubs – Utilising and bringing back to life the disused spaces in and around stations 
• Transformation – At the moment focused around Milford Haven but visions for other stations and communities throughout the region in the future.