Ceredigion Council fail to manage the Trawscymru T!C (Aberystwyth to Cardiff) contract

Madam,

I was pleased to see your article in the 18^th August edition on the T1C service “Bus Use Boosted By Free Tickets At Weekends”.   The T1C (Aberystwyth to Cardiff) coach service desperately needs publicity like this in order to boost passenger numbers.  It also desperately needs intervention by Ceredigion Council (Contract Manager for the T1C service) to improve the route and the timetable.

I have had 6 journeys on the T1C . The numbers using the service has dropped (the last journey had 10 passengers setting off from Aberystwyth and 22 arrived in Cardiff). The T1C was 36 minutes late arriving in Cardiff , 20 minutes of which was the diversion off the route to visit the shopping complex at Culverhouse Cross on the edge of Cardiff which was gridlocked with traffic.   The diversion was pointless (as it has been for the 6 journeys I have travelled on) since no passengers got on or off at this location  .Also no passengers got on or off at the other 2 diversions off the M4 at Junction 44 (Skewen) and  Junction 36 (McArthur Glen shopping complex near Bridgend). It was the same picture on the way back, with a delay at Culverhouse Cross but not as bad as in the morning and no passengers getting on or off at the 3 diversions off the main route. We arrived at Carmarthen 3 minutes early and waited for 20 minutes (as per the timetable) for no reason at all.   Why do Ceredigion Council not talk to the other partner in the T1C contract (ie the bus operator). The T1C drivers would tell them that the 20 minute wait in Carmarthen on the way back is completely unnecessary.   The drivers would also tell them that the 3 diversions off the main route pick up and deposit few passengers , whereas easy stops along the route which would pick up passengers (Pencader) are ignored.   It would also be useful if the printed timetables and the traveline website emphasised that the T5 from Cardigan/Newquay can connect with the T1C to Cardiff.   In  the morning the T5 service from Cardigan reaches Synod Inn at 9.44, Newquay at 9.59, Llanarth at 10.03 and Aberaeron at 10.14. The T1C service to Cardiff reaches Llanarth at 10.08 and passes the T5 between Aberaeron and Llanarth . The T1C  could therefore pick up passengers from the T5 at either Llanarth or Synod Inn . I am sure the large number of holiday makers in the Newquay area would use the service to go to Cardiff if the connection between the T5 and T1C were publicised .

There is still no connection between the T2 from Dolgellau (arrives at 9.30 in Aberystwyth) and the T1C to Cardiff (departs at 9.30 from Aberystwyth) and these 2 services are classed as non connecting services, which is clearly ridiculous.   Lloyds coaches said in June that they were happy to look at changing to an earlier T2 departure time in Dolgellau to allow a link with the T1C, but the Welsh Government, Gwynedd Council and Ceredigion Council are refusing to address the connectivity issue.   Passengers from North of Aberystwyth cannot therefore use the T1C service to Cardiff

Ceredigion Council who manage the T1C (Aberystwyth to Cardiff) contract should be talking to the T1C bus operator to arrange for improvements to the route and to the timetable. . Ceredigion Council should also be talking to Gwynedd Council and the Welsh Government regarding making the T2 service from Dolgellau a connecting service with the T1C . Unfortunately Ceredigion Council refuse to do this and say that I should contact Ken Skates (letter from Ellen Ap Gwynne, Leader of the Council) or that I should contact the Welsh Government Trawscymru Strategic Management Board. (letter from Alun Williams, Corporate Lead Officer for Policy and Performance ). We appear to have a Council who are completely inept in dealing with Transport provision in and through Ceredigion.

Unless something is done to improve this route and increase the number of passengers the route will fail and be withdrawn and this will be entirely due to Ceredigion Council not carrying out their function as manager of the T1C contract.

Yours, etc

Dr John McTighe

Llanrhystud