AN investigation into how effectively local and regional transport integration works within the county has been carried out in a bid to see if it supports Monmouthshire's aspirations.

A task group from Monmouthshire County Council was established to consider the extent to which national initiatives complement transport provision at a local level and the group focused on improvements that could easily be achieved.

The group investigated how transport issues were being incorporated within the Local Development Plan in terms of how people live, work and travel around the county and the group looked for any opportunities to combine different forms of transport.

The group's report was presented to the authority's cabinet members and stated that Abergavenny had now become a hub town following the housing development which has taken place at Llanfoist and at the old Coopers factory site along with the future developments proposed in the Local Development Plan.

Members considered that transport problems are already being experienced in Abergavenny and believe the lack of park and ride facilities are exacerbating the situation.

The reports questions the lack of provision for park and ride facilities as Abergavenny has a reasonable amount of employment in the town centre.

However the report does acknowledge that the development of more affordable housing in the town could enable low paid workers to be close to employment opportunities and therefore reduce the need to travel to work by car.

The report reveals that it had not been possible to incorporate a turning circle for cars at Abergavenny rail station due to the lack of available space.

Members also learnt that the potential for a bus interchange on the Abergavenny bypass was thwarted as the bridge used to access the station is listed and does not meet the standards required by the Disability Discrimination Act.

Councillor Bob Hayward said, "Integrating public transport in the authority is extremely difficult as Abergavenny and Chepstow have railway stations and the other towns do not and these areas have to rely on a bus service.

"As the governing body we need to be integrating bus and train timetables and we do have the authority to manipulate bus time tables to suit our needs. But trying to do this we ran into problems at every stage of the consultation."

Cabinet chairman Councillor Peter Fox said: "We don't have the powers to influence train operators, but resolving this public transport problem is a high priority for us."

Councillor Philip Murphy added: "The exercise has given us a great opportunity to consult other interested parties to properly integrate public transport in Monmouthshire."

Councillor Giles Howard said: "The report has picked on the obvious fact that trains and buses are not linked and highlights that in fact buses arrive at towns five minutes after the train has already departed.

Councillor Liz Hacket Pain said; "It's also amazing that bus stations only display bus time tables and railway stations only train times. Surely in this day and age both timetables need to be displayed together so that public transport can start to be integrated."

Cabinet members agreed that they would respond to the report within six months.