Ebbw Vale cable car to close as Blaenau Gwent Council addresses 拢6.6m funding shortfall
The Ebbw Vale cableway in Blaenau Gwent will close on 28 April - "part of a series of measures" to address a 拢6.6m council budget shortfall.
Wednesday 5 April 2023 15:39, UK
A cable car in the South Wales Valleys is set to close at the end of the month to plug a 拢6.6m council funding gap.
The Ebbw Vale cableway in Blaenau Gwent will close on 28 April.
Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council says the decision is "part of a series of measures" to address a £6.6m shortfall in funding for the 2023/24 council budget.
Council leader Steve Thomas said at the time of the council's budget in February that it had "always been open and honest about the significant financial challenges" it faced.
The Welsh Conservatives branded it "a costly and unreliable service".
They say it was closed 252 times in the two years since it opened in 2015.
Despite Welsh government funding for the council increasing to almost £140m, the council says it faces "some well-publicised financial pressures" including the impact of the pandemic, rising inflation and the higher energy and fuel costs.
Shadow Transport Minister, Natasha Asghar MS, said: "Many people questioned the point of the lift in the first place and we now know that is has proven to be a costly and unreliable service.
"There is concern now that the cable car site will just remain empty and unused becoming a centre for vandalism and anti-social behaviour."
The decision was made to close the cableway after a consultation with local residents.
Mr Thomas added: "The next few years will continue to be difficult for us financially, and we are already planning for this by developing and implementing sustainable strategic business reviews to address future funding gaps.
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A 2016 report by Blaenau Gwent council estimated the annual running costs of the cableway at more than £47,000.
A council spokesperson said: "A series of savings proposals, financial efficiencies and income generating projects were put together, and all these were outlined to residents and stakeholders in an online survey and at face-to-face engagement events.
"Within this survey, 60% of residents said the closure of the Cableway was very acceptable, acceptable or were neutral."