Throughout November I’ve taken up numerous cases for residents across the constituency, many including issues relating to autism and additional needs.

Last week I spent a day visiting and supporting some of our local rugby clubs and am looking forward to attending the Christmas event being run by Autistic Minds later on this week. This is, of course, as well as my Senedd work and meeting with other public bodies.

* Lots of people have been in touch with their experiences of bus and train services in recent weeks. There are unprecedented staffing issues across bus and rail services locally and although this is not a unique situation to public transport, it is somewhat exceptional compared to other industries, due to the specific roles of drivers and conductors.

With regards to buses, Stagecoach has assured me that it is doing all it can to recruit new PCV drivers, but it is coming up against a number of barriers outside of its control. The background to the PCV licence holder shortage is highlighted as Brexit, the pandemic, shortage of goods vehicle licence holders, DVLA licensing delays due to strike action and DVSA shortage of driving test slots.

Transport for Wales (TfW) has advised me that it is seeing somewhat similar issues in train services, with abnormal levels of sickness and a lack of trained personnel to cover services. It has recently rolled out a new apprenticeship programme to train the next generation of train drivers as quickly and as safely as possible.

I hope that as Coronavirus cases now begin to drop and as well see the end of the winter period, sickness levels will drop to a more stable level and services will resume to some level of normality.

TfW strongly promote use of its Capacity Checker | TfW and booking tickets before boarding. It helps it to plan and wherever possible, put on additional services. I will be meeting with the leadership of Transport for Wales very soon to discuss concerns that people have raised with me.

On a more positive note, I have been meeting with Transport for Wales regularly to discuss updates on transport for the Grange Hospital. I am now able to confirm that there is a cross-valley service planned for the Caerphilly area, with a service to run through Nelson and Ystrad Mynach and then on through Blackwood, Pontllanfraith, Newbridge and Crumlin. The service is expected to begin during 2022. I’m grateful to Transport for Wales for working with me on securing this service for Caerphilly residents and those in neighbouring constituencies. Alongside the shuttle service being run by the Parish Trust in the southern end of the borough, I hope this will bring some comfort to my constituents who rely on public transport for such journeys.

I will be back for another Facebook live before Christmas, which you can watch on my page here @HefinDavidMS.

On that note, I’d like to wish everyone a peaceful Christmas season and a happy and healthy new year.

Stay well.