New long-distance coach to connect north and south Wales
A new coach service linking north and south Wales which will launch this autumn is expected to cut journey times by more than an hour.
The long-distance coach will operate daily between Bangor and Carmarthen, linking communities along the west coast. The Welsh Government said the service would improve access to jobs, education, healthcare and tourism.
The service will stop at Bangor Rail Station, Caernarfon, Porthmadog Rail Station, Dolgellau (Eldon Square), Machynlleth, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth Bus Station, Aberaeron and Carmarthen Rail Station.
Deputy Transport Minister, Mark Hooper said: “We promised in our 100-day plan that we would prepare to launch a new coach service linking the north of Wales with the south of Wales and I’m delighted to confirm that plans are well underway to introduce this service in the autumn.
“For decades, many rural communities have been ill-served by public transport, but this new coach service is the first step in improving connectivity between the north and the south of Wales.
“The service will connect key regional centres, running alongside and enhancing existing services, including TrawsCymru, the rural bus network, and Fflecsi to deliver an integrated, multi-modal transport network across Wales.”
As well as improving connectivity the service will also open-up sustainable tourism to destinations, including Eryri National Park, the Llŷn Peninsula and Cardigan Bay, while providing a low-carbon alternative to the car.
A £2m investment has been confirmed in the Supplementary Budget which will cover the cost of running the service for one year, developing an online booking system and promotion around the service.
Eight coaches have already been purchased to run the service.
Transport for Wales will use the coming months to develop the service in line with the wider ‘T Network’ – an integrated transport network for Wales.
Lee Robinson, Executive Director for Regional Transport & Integration, said: “This new coach service is the result of a huge amount of work by teams across Transport for Wales, working closely with partners and drawing on insight from our Network North Wales programme to design a service that truly meets the needs of communities.
“By linking key towns and communities along the west coast, we’re creating faster, more reliable connections for work, education and leisure.
“The new service is a key step in building the T Network, Welsh Government’s vision for a fully integrated public transport system for Wales, strengthening the TrawsCymru network, helping to deliver a more joined-up, multi-modal offer and making it easier for people to travel sustainably with seamless connections to rail and local bus services.”
Funding for this service was announced in the First Supplementary Budget last week, alongside £8m for extending the £1 bus fare for all young people aged 5-21 years.
This funding will extend the scheme for a further seven months allowing more younger people to access cheaper bus fares until 31 March 2027.
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This existed back in the early1980s with the Traws Cambria buses but was lost when politics and economics lost its way with Thatcher and neoliberalism. Glad to see them back.
Survived into Arriva days… Fond memories of the TrawsCambria 701 back in the early 2000s, daily Holyhead-Cardiff and Aberystwyth-Bristol.
Amazing to think that back then it provided the only direct Aberystwyth to Carmarthen service, and even that only twice daily!
Be interesting to see what the take-up is today, especially given that the TrawsCymru services have probably snaffled up much of the market for intermediate journeys.
Proving ground for what is really needed, reinstatement of the railway to these places? I may use this service myself if it’s decent enough.
This is good news of investment in proper public transport. Hopefully will be in addition to the existing T bus services, which are excellent. Some toilet provision is needed for such a long journey also!
And again Powys is the forgotten County having lost our direct service on the T4 to Cardiff which now goes only to Merthyr whilst we have also lost the X47 direct service from Llandrindod to Aberystwyth. Yes, Powys… Wales’ largest and worst served County. No district general hospital and no direct public transport to our Capital City. We do have a weekly bus service though from Builth to Hereford, our district hospital, which has 39 stops on the way…,… once a week mind so plan anything well in advance and you’ll have to stay the week before coming home! Come… Read more »
It’s baffling that none of the Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury services turn around and head to Cardiff. Perhaps that will come with the new trains are finally introduced.
Makes a lot more sense for TrawsCymru not to continue the T4 into Cardiff now – Cardiff to Merthyr is now very well served by the Metro (and this will get better still) and the buses just used to get stuck in traffic in Cardiff city centre and throw out the whole schedule.
The money they save can be focused where it is needed, on routes where communities have no rail options.
This is good news. But it doesn’t say how long the journey would take. Hopefully a lot quicker than the current TrawsCymru buses that have hundreds of stops (important local/mid distance services but no good for anyone wanting to go long distance).
It should be much quicker because there will be far fewer stops on the way.
Imagine sitting in a bus from Bangor to Carmarthen. At least 5 or 6 hours without moving.
You can already do that. The new service is an express coach service. Not as good as a train but far better than a bus that stops every half mile.
A bus not coach from Aberystwyth to Cardiff would be afar better bet.
If I was going to Cardiff via Carmarthen I’d rather go by car.
And if you didn’t have a car?