The Bridgend Local Group (developed with help from Sustainable Wales and backed by RENEW Wales) has commissioned a study to demonstrate the feasibility of a community transport service using locally produced renewable energy.
(Feasibility funded by BCBC Reach - Rural Development)
The focus of the feasibility study will be:
to produce an outline business case that explores how a green community transport service could be implemented as a sustainable social enterprise supporting the needs of local people;
to identify and engage with key stakeholders including rural community councils and residents, local project stakeholders including the existing CTA operator (Bridgend Community Transport), and other potential service user groups (e.g. people vulnerable to ‘transport poverty’), in order to develop a collaborative and innovative Pilot service to test a community transport service model;
to identify the most appropriate (including size) vehicular technology available to utilise the renewable energy available from Cenin Renewables;
to understand and outline the cost benefits to rural residents and other project stakeholders of a community transport service subsidised with free renewable energy power;
to review potential for including digital technologies within the project, for example a service user social media group, a ‘bus-locator’, a ‘dial-a-ride’ mobile phone app, or other innovative technology that connects rural residents to key services including specifically the Newton Health Centre as well as other local commercial centres;
to clearly identify and outline the multiple advantages that could be created by a green electric community transport scheme including (but not limited to): jobs, easier access to the health centre and other destinations, reduced parking and congestion in the rural ward of Newton, reduced carbon emissions for transport, and the promotion of locally produced green energy
For further information, please contact Margaret Minhinnick:
mm@sustainablewales.org.uk
01656 783962