Passengers unhappy with bus service due to cuts, says MS
NEW figures show that people are not happy with bus services across the South West Wales region.
A survey by Sioned Williams, Plaid Cymru’s MS for South Wales West, covering the counties of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend, has revealed that more than 90% of respondents have a negative opinion of bus services in the area due to slashed routes and timetable cutbacks.
The survey, which ran between August and the end of last month, saw over 200 responses, most of whom used buses on a regular basis and all of whom were from the region.
According to the survey, 93% of respondents said they had a bad opinion of current bus timetables, 76% said they had a bad opinion on the variety of routes available, and 92% said that bus services have got worse over the last year.
There was some good news, with 92% of respondents saying that they felt safe on the bus either all or most of the time.
Ms Williams has previously raised concerns with First Minister Mark Drakeford, who said he “wished” more people used the bus, but declining numbers and “competing priorities” meant that funds weren’t currently available.
She said: “The cuts to funding for bus services are leaving communities across Wales devastated - and it’s clear that people in my region have been badly affected.
“Constituents have previously told me that they’ve had to leave their jobs because of these cuts, and these survey results show that hundreds more have been impacted.
“Bus cuts are disastrous for many - particularly older people, vulnerable groups, poorer communities, and those who live in areas like the valley communities of my region who rely on the bus to get about.
“What’s worse is that once negative opinions have formed about buses - and my survey shows that this is already the case - and once people have found alternative ways of getting to where they need to be, the work to get people back on the bus becomes all that much harder.”
She added: “It’s so important that people have a genuine alternative to the car to get to where they need to be.
“Many people in my region don’t live near a train line, let alone a railway station, and don’t have access to a car, so this makes buses an essential service that must be protected. Welsh Government must take action to protect, prioritise and expand bus services, because the people for whom buses are an essential service demand it.” A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We have made £11m available for bus priority measures and continue to work with Transport for Wales and local authorities to improve services. “Our new bus legislation will set out how we intend to transform the way bus services are planned and delivered in the future.”
The £11m has been split between £6m being available this year, and £5m available next year.
The cuts to funding for bus services are leaving communities across Wales devastated – and it’s clear that people in my region have been badly affected
Sioned Williams, Plaid Cymru’s MS for South Wales West, covering the counties of Swansea, Neath
Port Talbot and
Bridgend