BUS BOSS PLEDGES TO CONSIDER IMPROVEMENTS AFTER MEETING LOCAL AM

Local Assembly Member Lee Waters has secured a commitment from First Cymru to look at new and improved bus routes for Llanelli.

The AM who has campaigned for better public transport for the area has welcomed a commitment from First Cymru and it’s new Chief Executive, Andrew Sherrington to look at service improvements following feedback from residents.

“I’ve been impressed with the willingness First Cymru have shown to look at new routes and service improvements, based on what people in Llanelli have been telling me they would like to see from their bus operator” the Llanelli AM said.

Lee Waters, now the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport in the Welsh Government, recently met with the bus company to pass on the views of his constituents and was pleased to hear First Cymru’s commitment to service improvements in Llanelli.

“First Cymru have agreed to look at extending Sunday services across the area, based on demand, and examine the possibility of extending the X11 service from Swansea later into the evening. The bus company have also agreed to consider the potential of increasing service frequency on some routes, and exploring the possibility of introducing new routes to better serve customers” the Llanelli AM said.

Lee Waters, who has campaigned for better public transport across the Llanelli constituency has championed the development of Swansea Bay Metro since he was elected, added:

“Ultimately the bus companies are private firms and will only run services if they think there’s a commercial case for them.  If they don’t think a route can run at a profit they rely on subsidies to keep it going. Many routes have been withdrawn or scaled back as Councils have suffered cutbacks because of the UK Government’s Austerity project.

“The Welsh Labour Government are considering changing the way we regulate the private industry to make sure we get the best value for the £250 Million we invest every year. As the Deputy Minister in the Welsh Government, I’m consulting on plans to improve buses across Wales.

The Chief Executive of First Cymru and I want the same thing – more people using buses instead of cars. But people can only use buses more often if the services are available. I’m pleased that Andrew Sherrington is looking to see what he can do to extend services locally. It’s now really important that we continue to press the case for better services, and that residents continue to keep me and the bus company informed about what they want” the Welsh Labour AM said.