Calls for overhaul of road systems in Wales to speed up buses

Emily Price

The Welsh Government is being urged to introduce major changes to traffic signals and road layouts across the country to tackle congestion slowing down bus travel.

The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) delivered a manifesto to the Senedd on Tuesday (November 4) setting out priorities they say can enhance bus and coach services across the country ahead of May’s election.

The trade association’s ‘Driving Wales Forward’ manifesto challenged Welsh politicians to take action to speed up buses slowed down by busy roads.

The manifesto was launched at a bus depot in Cymbran before being taken by bus to Cardiff Bay were it was presented to Senedd Members.

CPT Cymru warned that on the busiest urban routes bus journey times have increased by 50% over the last 50 years.

Their manifesto states that a 10% increase in bus speeds – to just over 13.6mph on average – could save nearly £18m in operating costs and make buses significantly more attractive to passengers.

The trade association suggested that on busy urban routes, this 10% increase in speeds could attract 2.8 million additional passengers, and more than 3 million across the country as a whole.

CPT Cymru says faster buses can be achieved by changes to road designs to take public transport out of congestion.

The confederation suggested the Welsh Government roll out new bus lanes and traffic light priority changes across Wales as well as new town planning rules that prioritise buses.

Aaron Hill, Director of CPT Cymru, said: “Buses are Wales’s favourite form of public transport, carrying nearly 200,000 people a day. But too often, they get snarled up in traffic jams, making passengers frustrated and hurting the economy.

“Bus speeds have been declining for nearly five decades. It’s time to put a stop to that and take clear action to speed up buses.

“So we’re laying down a challenge to whoever gets elected to the Senedd: let’s get buses moving 10 percent faster over the next parliamentary term.

“Buses are a cross-party issue that matter deeply to people across Wales.

“They help people to get to work, to school, to visit family and friends and to access public services. Improving buses is a straightforward way to improve peoples’ everyday lives.”

Martin Gibbon, Chair of CPT Cymru, said: “Operators across Wales are ready to play their part in delivering faster, more reliable, and greener transport.

“But to make that happen, we need local and national leaders to prioritise buses and coaches in every decision about our roads and communities.

“Simple, low-cost measures – from bus lanes to better traffic light management – can make an enormous difference to passengers and the environment.

“If we work together to speed up journeys and make public transport the easiest choice, we can unlock real benefits for households, local economies, and the climate.”

In its manifesto, CPT Cymru is also calling on Welsh ministers to provide funding clarity to operators and local authorities to plan future services, use targeted measures to keep fares low and for ministers to support the role coaches play the public transport mix through data collection and analysis.

The Welsh Government was invited to comment.