A £2.2 million bid for securing transport grants of more than £20m was backed by senior Pembrokeshire councillors this week.

The April meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet received and approved a report on match funding requests for schemes contained within the WG Transport Grants 2023-24 bids.

The total 2023-24 costs of schemes are £20,435,673, made up of Welsh Government funding bids totalling £18,246,504, and Pembrokeshire County Council match funding requested of £2,124,169, subject to finalisation.

Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett told members the match-funding figure would be “the maximum exposure” to the local authority, moving approval.

A report for members said: “Cabinet approval is required to secure match funding for the schemes contained within the WG Transport Grants 2023-24 bids.  A full decision on the awarding of the WG Grants is expected in late April 2023; the amounts requested are the maximum requests for each scheme.

“WG Funding has been successfully used in previous years to support transport scheme design, development and construction throughout Pembrokeshire.

“The annual awards of funds requires local authorities to submit bids each year, with an expectation of match funding (currently 11 per cent) to be included in some schemes.

“Cabinet on December 5 resolved that the development and submission of applications to Welsh Government for Transport Grant, as outlined in that report, to fund the development and delivery of a number of transport schemes and initiatives in 2023-24, be approved.

“In February 2023, PCC submitted a final set of scheme documents to WG under the Active Travel, Safer Routes in Communities, ULEZ and Local Transport Fund.

“Schemes for the Resilient Roads Schemes were submitted separately.”

Match-funding

Schemes applying for bids – and their respective match-funding – include:

• Haverfordwest public transport interchange £7,672,293, £948,261
• Milford Haven PTI £1,720,340, £220,660
• Pembroke DockPTI £2,163,368, £267,383
• Fflecsi Bus (South Expansion) £160,200, £19,800
• Bus Stop Improvements £396,050, £48,950
• Fishguard & Goodwick Rail Station £667,500, £82,500
• Newgale Coastal Adaptation £565,150, 69,850
• Saundersfoot Station to Marina £873,553, £107,967
• Stammers Road to Marina £467,250, £57,750
• Tenby Croft to Rail Station £756,500, £93,500
• Milford Haven – Steynton to Studdolph £743,150, £91,850
• Narberth SRiC £411,000, £50,798
• ULEV – Phase 6 £356,000, £44,000

Cabinet agreed, in principle, to all match funding and delegated the decision for the exact award amounts to Cabinet Member for

Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett and the Director of Resources, based on the actual final awards of grant.

An update to the Capital Programme will be provided once the final figures have been awarded.