Shadow Minister for North Wales, Darren Millar, has called on the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to review arrangements on the TrawsCymru bus network after being contacted by passengers who have been left stranded because the timetables are unrealistic.
TrawsCymru buses are funded by the Welsh Government and are billed as providing “vital public transport links for many communities across Wales, integrating with rail journey”.
However, in a recent Plenary meeting in the Senedd, Darren raised concerns that new timetables have made buses are unreliable, causing passengers to miss connections, and placing drivers under untolerable pressure.
Questioning the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, over the failures Darren said:
“There were changes implemented on the [TrawsCymru} network from November last year, following a review by consultants commissioned by Transport for Wales (TfW). Many of the timetables were changed as a result of that review. Some buses were taken off certain routes and new artificial intelligence systems were installed on buses in order to monitor the focus of drivers on the road.
“I am being contacted by passengers who are telling me that the timetables are unrealistic, there is insufficient margin for congestion, or the new 20 mph speed limits in some areas, and that, as a result, many people are missing their connections and often passengers are being left stranded.
“Now, clearly, there does need to be a reliable bus transport system connecting parts of rural Wales to some urban conurbations, but we do need to review the arrangements on the TrawsCymru network to make sure that passengers are getting the services that they deserve, and that there is not undue pressure on drivers, who are facing the challenges of having to meet these unrealistic timetables.
“I am also told that the AI system—parts of it have been turned off because it’s been a dangerous distraction for some drivers on these routes. So, can you tell me, Cabinet Secretary, what work you will now do in order to make sure that there’s a review of this as soon as possible?”
Responding, the Cabinet Secretary said:
“TfW are developing solutions right now to operational issues with specific TrawsCymru routes, including TrawsCymru T3, the service that Darren Millar was identifying just now; it’s the route that operates between Wrexham and Barmouth. And what they’re doing is developing solutions that will drive reliability up.
“We’ve also recently seen the introduction of service improvements to the T2 route linking Bangor to Aberystwyth, and that’s included more evening and Sunday journeys. But if I may, Llywydd, I’ll ask Transport for Wales to examine the concerns raised today by Darren Millar and respond accordingly.”
