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Councillor Evans asked why the Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre has not opened to the public, although it was due to open last summer, and what it costs. Councillor Corten, the Cabinet Member for Communications and Culture (a Cabinet member is a councillor who leads a area of council work), replied that the centre is open to pre-booked school and community tours while work on the bridge continues, and that it will open fully once that work is finished. No decision was recorded.
Councillor Evans asked: The Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre was due to open last summer, I believe. Can you tell us, why it has been delayed, any cost implications and when you expect it too finally open? Councillor Corten responded: I am delighted that, to date, the Transporter Bridge Visitor Centre has welcomed more than 1,000 visitors from schools and community groups across Newport for pre-arranged tours since the interior of the building was completed. This was outlined in the Regeneration and Economic Development end-of-year service plan presented to the Performance Scrutiny Committee on 6 July, which I attended. As has been well documented, the complex work on the bridge itself continues to progress. While contractors carry out this work, access to the Visitor Centre is restricted to ensure visitors are kept safe. Once work on the bridge is complete, the centre will open to the general public. While the visitor centre remains open for pre-booked tours only, there are no additional management costs. Tours are conducted by members of the culture and heritage team, and no additional staff have been employed since the centre was handed over. Access to the visitor centre is free to the public. Of course, I would love nothing more than for the Visitor Centre to be fully open and for people from far and wide to be able to celebrate this icon of Newport’s history, but we must ensure people are kept safe. That said, I am very pleased that people from across Newport have already had the opportunity to see and enjoy the centre before its official opening. The Bridge is an important part of their heritage, and I would encourage more schools and community groups to get in touch to discuss the possibility of arranging a visit. The timing of these visits is, of course, dependent on the work taking place overhead. As work continues to progress on the bridge, we’ll keep residents informed - as we have done already.
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