Structure of Sewta
BACKGROUND TO SEWTA
Sewta (The South East Wales Transport Alliance), is a consortium established on 1 April 2003 by the 10 local authorities in South East Wales to carry out their functions in respect of public transport and some other transport matters. Sewta works in close liaison with partners representing public transport operators and users.
The members of Sewta are the following local authorities:
. Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
. Bridgend County Borough Council
. Caerphilly County Borough Council
. Cardiff Council
. Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
. Monmouthshire County Council
. Newport City Council
. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
. Torfaen County Borough Council
. Vale of Glamorgan County Borough Council
The local authorities work in partnership with:
. Arriva Trains Wales (representing train operators)
. Confederation of Passenger Transport (representing bus operators)
. Network Rail
. Bus Users UK
. Rail Passengers Committee Wales
. Sustrans
The Board of Sewta is formally constituted as a joint committee of the local authorities in the area. Newport City Council has the official role of Clerk and Legal Adviser to the Board.
The main functions of Sewta are to:
. prepare regional transportation strategies, plans and programmes
. apply for external funding to carry out those programmes
. act for the Councils in respect of programme actions resourced through that funding
. respond to consultation documents having a regional dimension
. advise the Councils on transportation issues.
It is important to note that Sewta does not currently have a responsibility for highway and road safety issues. This is an aspect of the existing set up that will have to be re-examined in the context of the Wales Transport Strategy (see below).
Sewta does not own or operate buses and trains, so that our partnership arrangements with public transport operators are crucial to continuing success.
Aims and Objectives
The core aim of Sewta is "to work for better coordinated and more effective transport for people and businesses in South East Wales".
The core aim is supported by the seven key objectives, each with its own supporting actions, as set out below. The actions demonstrate the main general areas of work and Sewta will be looking to take these actions forward at every opportunity.
1. To work in partnership with the people and organisations with a stake in transport in South East Wales
. Sewta will strive to involve the people of South East Wales in its work, and to forge relationships with the business community and other bodies with an involvement in transport
. Sewta will be seek to maintain the close relationship with the Welsh Assembly Government, and to ensure that its own internal communications assist the local authorities to play a full role in taking transport in South East Wales forward
2. To coordinate the delivery of an integrated transport strategy for South East Wales, seeking to influence the modal choice through an appropriate mix of transport projects and supporting policies in the transport and related fields
. Sewta will coordinate the regional public transport project programme and make appropriate funding bids
. Sewta will identify future candidates for grant bids and commission work to assess their costs and benefits
3. To promote the essential role of transport in economic and land use planning, and to influence land development to make the necessary provision for transport, and in particular public transport
. Sewta will seek to ensure that those with responsibility for economic development and land use planning understand and recognise the significance of transport
. Sewta will take steps to make the requirements of transport, including particularly public transport, known in the context of land use development
. Sewta will emphasise the economic and environmental sustainability of transport, and particularly public transport
4. To ensure that safety, sustainability and social inclusion are taken full account of in transport plans and schemes
. Sewta will seek to promote improvements in public and staff safety and security in the field of transport
. Sewta will take the lead in promoting social inclusion in transport through accessibility planning
. Sewta will support the work being carried out to examine the long term resource needs of the transport agenda in South East Wales, and the search for innovative and sustainable ways of financing transport enhancements
5. To seek to increase the resources for transport for Wales, and to maximise the share available for South East Wales
. Sewta will seek to influence funding bodies in Wales, the UK and further afield to make more resources available for transport
. Sewta will use every opportunity to make the case for additional investment in transport, and in particular public transport
. Sewta will support work to look for additional sources of funding for transport in the short medium and longer term
6. To pursue common standards for transport across the whole of South East Wales, based on best practice, to seek cost effective use of resources, and to identify and monitor targets to judge the success of its strategy
. Sewta will seek consistency in transport provision in South East Wales by identifying best practice and promoting common standards
. Sewta will establish transport targets, performance indicators and monitoring processes on a consistent basis
. Sewta will promote value for money in transport expenditure
7. To drive the policy debate as a champion for transport, and in particular public transport, and to raise public awareness of the role of local government in transport
. Sewta will establish itself as a leading player in the transport field
. Sewta will miss no opportunity to emphasise the importance of transport to Government and other stakeholders
. Sewta will act for the local authorities in responding to relevant consultation exercises or otherwise, including references in or by the media
Sewta will promote its activities and achievements, and those of the local authorities, within the region and further afield
Sewta works through a Board of elected members, two from each local authority, plus co-opted representatives from key stakeholders.
The Board is supported by a Directorate and a series of working groups, which are made up of officers from member authorities, experts from stakeholders and staff from the Sewta core team.
BOARD
Chair - tbc Vice-chair - tbc
Directorate
Chair - Anthony O'Sullivan Vice-chair - Dave Harris
Sewta Core Team
Secretary - vacant Assistant Secretary - Phil Wall Planning Manager - Christian Schmidt Programme Manager - Martin Buckle Transport Planner - Ifeoma Madu Travel Planner - Nicola Davies Travel Planner - Cheryl Owen
Secretariat Management & Finance Group
Chair - Anthony O'Sullivan Vice-chair - Ian Colbourne
EU Structural Funds Programme Board
Chair - Martin Buckle Vice-chair - Christian Schmidt
Communications & Public Affairs Working Group
Chair - Emma Harvey Vice-chair - John Marks
Policy Working Group
Chair - Dave Harris Vice-chair - Colin Jones
Walking & Cycling Working Group
Chair - Alun Evans
Rail Working Group
Chair - David Beynon Vice-chair - Mark Youngman
Bus Working Group
Chair - Clare Cameron Vice-chair - Richard Cope
Integration Working Group
Chair - Gemma Thomas
Roads Working Group
Chair - Roger Waters
Bus Information Sub-group
Chair - Mark Youngman
Monitoring Sub-group
Chair - Richard Metford
Travel Planning Sub-group
Chair - Glyn Stickler