County bus services trimmed by reduced funding

BUS services throughout Carmarthenshire are being streamlined with reduced frequencies and some loss of routes from May 18 because of reduced funding.

Of 30 routes affected, nine of the routes will be withdrawn. Some of them are covered by other services.

County executive board member for transport services Cllr Colin Evans said bus services were currently under critical review throughout the country, not only where subsided by the Local Authorities but also where they are operated commercially by bus companies.

He said: “There are various funding streams and grants used to support bus services, both at national and local government level, and with these sources of funding being reduced it is unfortunately inevitable that services will be reduced.

“As an authority we are already putting £1.2million into propping up bus services and this comes from transport budgets including surplus car parking revenues. But it is not nearly enough with funding being reduced..

“We have no choice streamlining services and local authorities along with bus companies therefore have to make difficult decisions.

“Where services are provided by Carmarthenshire council, we are attempting to maintain services where possible in all areas currently served, but with reduced frequencies.

“This is as an alternative to removing all services from some areas which would result in more rural parts of the county being left without any bus service.

“The review has also taken into account the usage of existing bus services and where these services are not being supported by the communities who have asked for them they are always prone to withdrawal.

“Over the years we have tried to introduce and improve services following requests received, but disappointingly such requests do not always result in the services being used. This is obviously not sustainable.”

For commercial bus operators, they would also be prioritising service reviews based on usage, and it is possible those services which are poorly used are in danger of reduction or withdrawal.

Timetables for all services in the County are available from the council, by phone on 01267 234 567 or email at PublicTransport@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Cllr Evans said: “We expect there to be further changes to services later in the year. Our message to communities is therefore to use and support their local services or risk them being reduced or removed.”

The following changes would apply from May 18. Most of the changes were to services which the council organises and subsidises. Changes being made by bus operators themselves on a commercial basis have also been included, but it should be noted where they have shown a change being to a “commercial” service, the council is not responsible for these.

Service 103, Llandeilo – Llandybie – Ammanford

This service is currently operated commercially by First Cymru, running every hour during the day.

From 18th May, First Cymru has announced it will be removing all morning journeys between Llandeilo and Llandybie. They will be running buses from Llandeilo to Ammanford at 1435 and 1600, and from Ammanford to Llandeilo at 1405 and 1530, but the buses from Ammanford at 1005, 1105, 1205 and 1305 will run only as far as Llandybie, coming back from Llandybie at 1020, 1120, 1220 and 1320 to Ammanford.

Carmarthenshire County Council has been able to fund an extra morning journey, running at 1000 from Ammanford to Llandeilo and back at 1030 from Llandeilo to Ammanford.

Service 111, Kidwelly – Llanelli – Swansea

The daytime service on Mondays to Saturdays is operated commercially by First Cymru.

Carmarthenshire council has been providing some early morning and evening journeys, and the 0625 Kidwelly to Llanelli and 2035 Llanelli to Kidwelly journeys were withdrawn from 2nd March 2014.

The remaining journeys on Mondays to Saturdays will continue unaltered, including the council subsidised journey at 1943 from Llanelli to Kidwelly.

The council currently provides a Sunday service between Kidwelly, Llanelli and Gorseinon; but we are removing subsidies from all Sunday services. First Cymru will however, run an hourly commercial service every hour between Llanelli and Swansea. This new service will not operate via Penygraig estate in Llwynhendy.

Service 124, Brynaman – Ammanford

The daytime service on Mondays to Saturdays is operated commercially by First Cymru, and from 18th May they will be adding extra journeys to the timetable, as well as re-timing some existing journeys to make better connections with other services.

Carmarthenshire council provides additional journeys at 0646 from Brynaman to Ammanford (Monday to Friday) and 1825 from Ammanford to Brynaman (Mondays to Saturdays) which will continue but at slightly different times (0640 and 1900) to improve connections with other buses.

The limited Sunday service between Ammanford and Brynaman will be removed in line with the decision to remove subsidies from all Sunday services.

Service 125, Ammanford – Ystalyfera

This service previously operated only on Friday and Saturday evenings, under contract to Neath Port Talbot CBC but with contributions from Carmarthenshire and Powys councils , but was withdrawn on March 3.

Service 126, Ammanford – Penygarn – Cwmgwili

There will be changes to the daytime journeys and passengers travelling between Cwmgwili, Penygarn and Ammanford will hopefully find the new times more suitable.

The buses will now leave Cwmgwili for Ammanford at 0854 and 1154, running through Hendre Road, Teglan Park and Pantyffynnon. Buses will return from Ammanford at 1125 and 1425.

In addition, there will be a bus at 1722 from Cross Hands back to Cwmgwili and Tycroes, this bus comes from Llanelli at 1640 as service 128.

Service 127, Ammanford – Garnswllt

The times of the buses will be changes in order to improve punctuality; and some morning and afternoon peak journeys have had to be removed, this will affect those passengers using the buses to travel to and from Betws C.P. School.

Service 128, Ammanford – Cross Hands – Llanelli

The daytime service on Mondays to Saturdays is operated commercially by First Cymru, with Carmarthenshire council providing early morning and evening journeys. The times of most of these journeys will change from May 18.

The Sunday service, and the late evening journey at 2230 from Ammanford to Drefach, will be removed.

Service 129, Ammanford – Cross Hands – Carmarthen

The daytime service on Mondays to Saturdays is operated commercially by First Cymru, with Carmarthenshire council providing morning, afternoon and evening journeys. Most journeys on this service will be retimed from 8th May.

The commercial journeys will be running at 0935 and 1135 from Ammanford to Carmarthen, and at 1055 and 1255 back from Carmarthen. These journeys will no longer run to and from Is-y-Llan in Llanddarog, but will continue to stop on the main road in the village. All journeys provided by Carmarthenshire council will continue to run to and from Is-y-Llan.

The morning journey at 0810 from Ammanford to Ysgol Maes-y-gwendraeth will now become part of service 128, but the children will continue to catch service 129 in the afternoon.

The morning buses from Penygarn and Pantyffynnon to Amman Valley School will be withdrawn, but there will instead be a journey at 0755 from Tycroes square on service 126 which will run via Pantyffynnon. There will no longer be a return journey from Ammanford at 1520 on school days back to Pantyffynnon and Penygarn.

The extensions of early morning and late afternoon/evening journeys to and from Penygarn, will be removed, although these journeys will still run through P
antyffynnon.

Service 130, Myddynfych – Ammanford

This service will be withdrawn.

Services 145/146, Ammanford – Cwmaman

The 1000 journey from Ammanford to Cwmaman and back to Ammanford will be withdrawn

Service 164, Pontyberem – Drefach – Cross Hands – Ammanford

The service will be reduced to just one morning journey from Pontyberem at 0725 to Ammanford, and one return journey from Ammanford at 1630 to Pontyberem.

The route will change so that Tumble will no longer be served, instead the buses will run between Drefach and Gorslas via Cefneithin and Cross Hands.

There will be an additional journey at 0815 from Ammanford as far as Cross Hands, replacing the existing school days journey on service 165.

The Friday and Saturday late evening journey will be withdrawn.

Service 165, Cross Hands – Ammanford – Llanelli

Service 165 will be reduced but will continue to provide a local facility between Cross Hands and Ammanford via Blaenau, Caerbryn and Gorsddu estate. The buses will run from Ammanford at 1015 and 1315, and from Cross Hands at 1045 and 1345.

A separate service will be introduced between Hendy and Llanelli, serving the Brynhyfryd, Nantygro, Llwynifan and Llwynbedw estates. The service will be numbered 175 and will start from Llwynbedw estate at 1030, returning from Llanelli at 1315. The service will no longer divert to and from Prince Philip Hospital but will continue to run via Parc Pemberton and Parc Trostre.

Service 166, Cross Hands – Drefach – Botanic Gardens – Carmarthen

The service will be reduced to one return journey each day to and from Carmarthen. The service will change so that it no longer starts from Cross Hands and Tumble, instead the bus will start form Llanelli and run through Felinfoel, Llannon, Pontyberem, Cwm-mawr and Tumble before going over to Mynyddcerrig, then running through Capel Seion, Drefach, Cefneithin, Foelgastell and Porthyrhyd to Carmarthen.

The morning bus will start from Llanelli at 0820 arriving at Carmarthen at 0930, with the return journey leaving Carmarthen at 1345.

Service 166 currently offers a service between Carmarthen and the Botanic Gardens of Wales, but from 18th May the Gardens will instead be served by service 279.

Service 194, Llanelli – Meinciau

This service will be withdrawn.

Service 195, Llanelli – Cynheidre – Pontiets – Pontyberem – Carmarthen

This service will continue to operate every two hours during the daytime, although the timetable will be rearranged to make some journeys more conveniently timed.

Buses will therefore run from Llanelli to Carmarthen at 0615, 0745, 0945, 1145, 1345, 1620 and 1740, and from Carmarthen to Llanelli at 0715, 0845, 1045, 1245, 1445, 1610 and 1840.

The extra late evening journeys on Fridays and Saturdays will be withdrawn. The extensions at Llanelli to and from the Railway Station will also be withdrawn due to lack of use and access issues at the Station. The Sunday service will also be withdrawn.

Service 196, Llanelli – Llannon – Pontyberem – Carmarthen

This service will be reduced, there will be less journeys each day and these will run from Llanelli to Carmarthen at 0715, 1245 and 1505 and from Carmarthen to Llanelli at 0945 and 1720.

However passengers will also be able to use service 166 between Felinfoel, Llannon, Pontyberem and Carmarthen (see above) although these journeys will take slightly longer.

The service currently has significant punctuality problems, and it will unfortunately be necessary to remove the diversions to Prince Philip Hospital.

The journeys at 0715 from Llanelli to Carmarthen and 1720 from Carmarthen to Llanelli will no longer run to and from Grugos Avenue in Pontyberem due to issues with turning buses.

The extensions at Llanelli to and from the Railway Station will also be withdrawn due to lack of use and access issues at the Station.

Service 197, Llanelli – Trimsaran – Meinciau – Carmarthen

The daytime service on Mondays to Saturdays is operated commercially by First Cymru, who have announced that they are to revise the timetable to provide a better pattern of journeys, but will be removing the service from Ponthenri.

Carmarthenshire council currently provides evening journeys, most of which will be removed, but will continue to provide a journey at 1820 from Llanelli which will run as far as Meinciau.

Service 198, Llanelli – Trimsaran – Kidwelly – Ferryside – Carmarthen

The existing service is provided by Carmarthenshire council but duplicates other services along many parts of the route. The service will therefore be reduced so that there is a limited service between Llanelli, Trimsaran and Kidwelly, with the aim of complementing the other commercial services. Buses will therefore run from Llanelli to Carmarthen at 0740, 1420 and 1650, returning from Carmarthen to Llanelli at 0850, 1610 and 1800.

This means that the County has managed to accommodate journeys from the Llansaint and Ferryside areas into Carmarthen before 0900 and returning at 1800, following the withdrawal of similar commercial journeys by First Cymru last year. Most of the above journeys will run via the Waunyclun area in Trimsaran.

Recognising that the Llansaint and Ferryside areas do not have access to other bus services, we are retaining daytime journeys between Kidwelly and Carmarthen on this route. The buses will leave Kidwelly at 0925 and 1235, returning from Carmarthen at 1010 and 1320.

The 0925 journey from Kidwelly to Carmarthen and the return at 1320 from Carmarthen will run via Croesyceiliog instead of Cwmffrwd, so that the Croesyceiliog area now has a service on Mondays to Saturdays, in place of service 240 only on Wednesdays.

The Sunday service will be withdrawn.

Service 227, Llanybri – Llansteffan – Carmarthen

There will be minor changes to the timetable in order to improve punctuality.

Service 240, Croesyceiliog – Carmarthen (Wednesdays only)

This service will be withdrawn, with service 198 now serving Croesyceiliog (see above)

Service 276, Llandybie – Carmarthen (Wednesdays only)

The service will be revised to operate on Tuesdays instead of Wednesdays, so that a low floor “easy access” bus can be used, and the route will be changed.

The new service will start from Llandeilo at 0900 every Tuesday, and will run via Ffairfach, Golden Grove, Milo, Pantllyn, Pentregwenlais, Llandybie, Blaenau, Caerbryn, Gorslas, Maesybont, Llanarthney and Nantgaredig. The return journey will leave Carmarthen at 1345.

This means that some communities will have a new direct bus service to Carmarthen.

Service 278, Llandeilo – Ammanford (Fridays only)

The existing service will be revised and incorporated into service 284 as requested by the users.

Service 279, Llandeilo – Llanarthne – Carmarthen

The journeys at 0900 from Llandeilo to Carmarthen and at 1345 from Carmarthen to Llandeilo will be removed on Tuesdays and Fridays, in order to allow services 276 and 284 to continue operating. They will remain on Mondays and Thursdays but will be renumbered to service 278.

Service 279 will continue to provide daytime journeys from Carmarthen to and from Llandeilo, these will now run at 1105 from Carmarthen and will return from Llandeilo at 1245, but these journeys will not run on Fridays.

The service will also be adjusted to provide a limited service between Carmarthen and the National Botanic Gardens, in place of service 166. The bus from Carmarthen Bus Station at 1105 will therefore call at Carmarthen Rail Station and divert to and from the Gardens. The return journey from Llandeilo at 1245 will also call at the Gardens and Carmarthen Rail Station. These journe
ys will not be available on Fridays but will run on Monday to Thursday and on Saturday. In addition, an extra journey from the Gardens to Carmarthen Rail and Bus Stations will run at 1625 on Mondays to Thursdays, and on Saturdays will also run but will start from Llandeilo at 1600.

Services 280 and 281, Carmarthen – Llandeilo – Llandovery.

There will be some minor changes to the timings of some journeys in order to improve punctuality.

One afternoon journey from Llandeilo to Carmarthen will be extended to start from Llandeilo Railway Station at 1703, so that passengers can change from the Heart of Wales train.

Service 284, Crugybar – Llandeilo

This Friday only service will be merged with service 278 to provide a through journey to and from Ammanford, as a result of user requests. A low floor “easy access” bus will be used.

The service will run from Crugybar at 0933 to Llandeilo, as it does now, but will continue from Llandeilo at 1016 through Ffairfach, Milo, Pentregwenlais and Llandybie into Ammanford, returning from Ammanford at 1240 (Wilkinsons) or 1245 (Bus Station) all the way back up as far as Crugybar.

Services 400/404, Llanelli – Pontardulais – Swansea

The daytime service on Mondays to Saturdays is operated commercially by First Cymru.

Carmarthenshire council provides the following additional journeys:

• one early morning journey at 0635 from Pontardulais to Llanelli, which will be removed.
• two evening journeys on Mondays to Saturdays from Llanelli at 1935 and 2035 to Pontardulais, and at 2008 from Pontardulais back to Llanelli. The 1935 journey will be retained but the 2008 and 2035 journeys will be removed.
• a Sunday service which will also be removed

Service B1, Pembrey and Burry Port Dial-a-Ride service

Usage of this service is very low during the later part of the day, and the journeys at 1550 and 1615 will therefore be removed.

Kidwelly Dial-a-Ride service

In order to allow the vehicle to provide some journeys on service 198, the 1040 and 1240 journeys will be withdrawn and replaced by a single journey at 1150. As a result of the additional use of the vehicle on service 198 there will be some benefits to users of the B5 service, in that the 0845, 1150 and 1400 journeys will now operate on Saturdays, also the bus arriving at Kidwelly at 0920 will run through to Carmarthen as service 198 and the 1400 departure from Kidwelly will have come from Carmarthen on service 198, meaning passengers will have a through service to Carmarthen without having to change buses at Kidwelly.

Service B10, Carmarthen – Brecon

This service will be withdrawn for the 2014 season.

Llanelli Dial-a-Ride servicesB21, B23, B24

There will be no change to services B21 and B23, but service B24 will change slightly to also serve the Bigyn area. A new service, B25, will be added to serve the Penygraig area of Llwynhendy.

Llanelli Town Services L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5

These services are operated commercially by First Cymru, who have announced the following changes from 18th May:

• L1 will be reduced from every half hour at present to become every hour
• L2 will continue to be an hourly service but will run from the Town Centre to Swiss Valley via Maesgolau instead of Felinfoel Road, and will return from Swiss Valley via Prince Philip Hospital
• L3, L4 and L5 will be removed

X1, Bynea – Pontardulauis – Carmarthen

The service will be withdrawn.

X13, Llandeilo – Ammanford – Swansea

The daytime service on Mondays to Saturdays is operated commercially by First Cymru, who have announced that from 18th May there will be an improved daytime service with buses running every 20 minutes instead of every 30 minutes as at present.

Carmarthenshire council provides early morning and evening journeys, which will be slightly revised.

The council also currently provides a Sunday service between Llandeilo and Pontardulais; but we are removing subsidies from all Sunday services. First Cymru are, however, going to be running a commercial service between Ammanford and Swansea

For Timetables contact us by phone on 01267 234 567 or by email at PublicTransport@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Up to date information on the public transport network in Carmarthenshire is always available at www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/transport