BUS CUTS JOBS FEAR
CUTS in bus services are preventing people getting to and from work and could lead to job losses, a councillor claimed.
The demise of Express Motors at the end of last year has led to the number of buses running from Bangor and Caernarfon to the Deiniolen and Dinorwig areas being slashed.
The Penygroes-based firm had operated a near hourly service to the area but the company’s operating licence was revoked after the Traffic Commissioner for Wales was told of maintenance failings.
Gwynedd Council officials awarded contracts to Arriva Cymru to operate services from January, but these were cut to just four buses each weekday to Dinorwig.
Cllr Elfed Williams, who represents the area on Gwynedd Council, said: “This isn’t good enough. There are lengthy gaps during the day when there are no bus services. It means people cannot get to and from work in time and this will lead, inevitably, to jobs being lost at worst. At best it may lead to working hours being lost.”
As a non-driver, Cllr Williams relies on the bus service to get to council meetings in Caernarfon.
“I use the bus once or twice a week at least and I know I’m not the only one complaining. As soon as I step on the bus people start complaining to me,” he said.
Cllr Williams said to compound the problem the few buses that do run are often late and services have been cancelled at short notice.
A parent of three students at Coleg Menai in Bangor, he said it was not unusual for the afternoon bus from the city to be cancelled.
“I pay £100 a term for the service and two of my children attend the college several days a week,” he said. “On more than one occasion they have called my wife asking for a lift. Several times they have had to call for a taxi.”
On Thursday afternoon Cllr Williams travelled from Deiniolen on the 83 bus to Caernarfon to deliver a 500-name petition to council leaders.
“We want to see an improvement in service and ideally get back to what we enjoyed before Express Motors disappeared,” he said.
A Gwynedd Council spokesman said: “Since the Traffic Commissioner’s decision to revoke Express Motors’ licence, officers from the Council’s Transport Service have been doing everything possible to ensure that public bus services continue to be available for Gwynedd’s residents.
“We are aware of concerns raised regarding services to Deiniolen following the Commission- er’s decision and are continuing to work with operators with the aim of improving the services in the future.
“With regard to issues with punctuality, we would encourage residents to contact us on cludiant@gwynedd.llyw.cymr with the details so that we can investigate each individual complaint.”
Additional bus services are to operate on routes from Bangor and Caernarfon to Llanberis and nearby villages after passenger complaints from April 8.