Cross-border collaboration brings improved bus services to Welsh communities

Nation.Cymru staff

Bus passengers are to get new Sunday and evening services as part of a series of timetable improvements being introduced next month.

The changes affect routes across Monmouthshire and include the return of Sunday buses between Abergavenny, Raglan and Monmouth, as well as new services linking Abergavenny with Hereford, Pontypool and Cwmbran.

The improvements, supported by Herefordshire County Council and the Welsh Government, will also include additional peak-time journeys and better connections with rail services.

One of the biggest changes will be to the 23 service between Hereford, Abergavenny, Pontypool and Cwmbran.

Four journeys will operate in each direction on Sundays, providing the first Sunday service on the route for several decades.

New evening journeys will also run from Monday to Saturday, providing the first evening bus connection between Abergavenny and Hereford for many years and increasing the evening frequency between Abergavenny and Cwmbran to hourly.

An additional weekday morning journey will run between Abergavenny and Pontypool.

Sunday buses will also return to the 68 route between Abergavenny, Raglan and Monmouth for the first time since 2020.

Four journeys will run in each direction every Sunday.

All 66 services between Monmouth and Hereford will meanwhile be extended to Hereford Railway Station to make it easier for passengers to connect with trains.

Additional capacity is also being introduced on the X74 route serving Newport, Caldicot and Chepstow, with an extra weekday morning peak journey from September 1.

The C1 service between Thornwell, Bulwark and Chepstow town centre will also gain an additional morning journey.

Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet member for climate change and the environment, Cllr Catrin Maby, said: “These improvements are important for communities across Monmouthshire.

“Good public transport is essential for connecting people with jobs, education, healthcare, shopping and leisure opportunities, and these changes will give residents more choice over how and when they travel.

“Better weekend public transport ensures more people can enjoy what Monmouthshire has to offer without needing to rely on a car.”

A number of smaller timetable changes will also take effect in September, and passengers are being advised to check journey times before travelling.

Journey information is available from Traveline Cymru.

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