The Joint Passenger Transport Unit (JPTU) is a team of transport officers based in Ebbw Vale, who are responsible for passenger transport co-ordination in both Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen. This includes:-
Procurement and Monitoring of Contracted Local Bus Services
The JPTU has responsibility for procurement and monitoring of financially supported local bus services under the Transport Acts 1985 and 2000 on behalf of Blaenau Gwent CBC and Torfaen CBC. These are services that are not met by the commercial bus network but are considered by the constitutent local authorities to be socially necessary journeys, in total over 40 contracts. Monitoring of these to ensure value for money and efficiency of the services is a key element of a co-ordinated public transport approach.
Publicity Production - Producing Bus Stop Time Tables, Transport Guides and Leaflets
The Transport Act 2000 gave local authorities the responsibility to produce an "information strategy" with regard to public transport. Under these arrangements the JPTU undertakes the role of bus stop timetable, transport guide and leaflet production on behalf of the authorities to encourage public transport use throughout the region. Substantial investment in bus infrastructure in recent years means that the JPTU has responsibility for producing bus stop timetables for over 1,600 stops in its area.
Administering the Concessionary Fare (Free Bus Pass) Scheme in accordance with the Welsh Assembly Government Guidelines
The JPTU administers the scheme on behalf of the two authorities and there are over 35,000 bus passes on issue in total, of which over 15,000 have been issued to residents of Blaenau Gwent. The Pass allows holders free travel on all registered local bus services throughout Wales and travel on direct services to certain locations in England. The scheme costs over £1.6 million in Blaenau Gwent alone and over £47 million in Wales as a whole.
