TrawsCambria / TrawsCymru

[Bletchleyite]

Assuming you mean 2-hourly (every two hours) and not two services each running hourly (ie. 2 trains per hour) then you could run the trains clockface every two hours all the way to Blaenau Ffestiniog. It would require two units but, provided the passing loop at North Llanrwst is functional, there would not be a problem with single line occupation as far as I can see.

I seem to recall that loop being no longer certified for passing passenger services, but it could be fixed. But a second unit is hard to justify if much cheaper buses can provide.

Given that the return leg of a rail journey is often given away almost for free than perhaps that isn't so odd. The GWR journey planner is giving me the option of £9.20 for an Anytime Day Single from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno or £9.30 for an Anytime Day Return. I don't see your £9.10 fare there at all...

It's £9.10 from the Junction.

 

[markymark2000]

I seem to recall that loop being no longer certified for passing passenger services, but it could be fixed. But a second unit is hard to justify if much cheaper buses can provide.

To be fair, the financials hardly stack up now for 1 train, let alone 2. The amount the Conwy Valley is bustituted as well, to charge a 'train' fare I think is unfair.

 

[johntrawscymru]

we won't just effectively end up with a subsidised bus and a subsidised train effectively competing, the result of which not being passenger growth but rather increased subsidy.

The argument regarding T19/train is similar to 2 Local Bus services versus T11 Trawscymru Connect.
Whilst in theory a sensible option it does not necessarily lead to passenger growth.
How will we know whether the T19/train concept works? That requires detailed research on patronage compared the patronage that existed previously. The fact that the fare structure is incomprehensible and poorly advertised would suggest that passenger numbers may go down.
Only the Welsh Government will hold the answer.

Look

The T12 is a Traws Cymru route through and through. They just put 'Connect' on it because it takes 300 years to get anywhere.

The T12 SHOULD be a Trawscymru route with a direct service optimising network connections with other Trawscymru routes . It should start in a large town Aberystwyth with a population ten times that of Machynleth and at a bus transport hub with the Trawscymru T1,T2,T5 and a range of local bus services serving the West side of Wales. It should go via Llangurig (Links with local buses from the South), Llanidloes, Newtown, Welshpool, Oswestry to Wrexham with no diversions.

Who in their right mind would choose to travel on the T12 from Newtown to Welshpool knowing that due to the diversion via Montgomery it would take twice the time by car and 3 times the time by train.

Newtown to Welshpool car 14 miles 22 mins
Newtown to Welshpool bus via Montgomery 44 mins
Newtown to Welshpool train 14 mins.fare £6.00

That isn't something that you, and anyone, can say. It may well be that improved branding allied to increased journey opportunities have had a benefit?

Would the passenger figures be available for the previous component parts that formed the T12?

TrawsCymru may not release that information but all councils should hold passenger figures for their tendered services.

The Welsh Government does publish transport statistics

https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Transport/Roads/Public-Service-Vehicles.

However it is aggregated data but presumably it is aggregated from data for each individual bus service, so performance of each individual service should be available to the Welsh Government .

They no longer publish Trawscymru transport statistics. Last publication 2017-2018.

Is there one single country with high public transport modal share that doesn't fully or near-fully integrate?

a full, combined bus and train timetable should be created and all online journey planners should show that as well as ticket acceptance noted. Huge opportunity. No one with the brains to do it properly though.

Really, Traws is supposed to be the flagship bus services in rural Wales. If this can't be achieved on the Traws routes, then the rest of the country bus network in Wales has no hope.

As someone who really enjoys 1Bws, I would love to see it included but this is TFW. It goes back to my earlier point. Someone had a good thought about the integration but it's extremely poorly executed.

1Bws should really be a 1Traws ticket, valid on all public transport.

I agree fully with the above. The Welsh Government have all the data they require in order to design a fully integrated system in the case of bus/rail passengers although I am not sure exactly what data they hold regarding private car journeys which is where the growth in Trawscymru passenger numbers and public transport as a whole would come from.

Some time ago the Welsh Government announced they had purchased software and set up a group to analyse mobile signal data to analyse private car journeys and use that data to plan an integrated Transport network .They have reported aggregated percent figures from the mobile signal data in the Welsh Transport Policy document . The Welsh Transport Policy document published in May 2021 also contains the statement that Trawscymru passenger numbers increased by 46% in 2018-2019.

https://gov.wales/sites/default/fil...ing-information-transport-data-and-trends.pdf

They identified key points from the mobile network data covering the morning peak period (07:00-10:00): which included high flows on journeys between North Wales and North West England, cross-border journeys starting in South East Wales , and Mid Wales crossing the Wales/England border.

They made no suggestions regarding changes to the bus network and concluded.

At present there is no consistent approach to measuring overcrowding on bus routes in Wales. During 2019/20, Bus Users Cymru conducted a large-scale bus service punctuality monitoring programme across Wales Average service punctuality (defined as buses departing a timing point no more than 1 minute early or 5 minutes late) was: 81% in North Wales, 79% in South East Wales, 90% in South West Wales

All 3 areas failed miserably to meet the Traffic Commissioners Standard of 95% although this is not mentioned.
Whilst the 46% annual increase in Trawscymru passenger numbers was quoted in the report, there is no analysis of punctuality data on the Trawscymru Network. From personal observation the T5 is now very unreliable.
The Welsh Government last publication of Trawscymru punctuality data was in 2018 in an obscure Transport Journal.

https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/download/e89fe6a994e7118e537af4f366465d8ff7a65457904b18796904a8571c1c211d/3288759/IU Bus Rpt final version 090318.pdf

The article identified a problem with the T3 punctuality measured at 87%

The Welsh Government seem incapable of publicising or using the Trawscymru data they hold on Trawscymru passenger numbers and punctuality. Passengers across the whole of Wales will not be encouraged to use a poorly designed network which offers below standards levels of punctuality.

As the contributor said

If this can't be achieved on the Traws routes, then the rest of the country bus network in Wales has no hope.

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

The T12 SHOULD be a Trawscymru route with a direct service optimising network connections with other Trawscymru routes . It should start in a large town Aberystwyth with a population ten times that of Machynleth and at a bus transport hub with the Trawscymru T1,T2,T5 and a range of local bus services serving the West side of Wales. It should go via Llangurig (Links with local buses from the South), Llanidloes, Newtown, Welshpool, Oswestry to Wrexham with no diversions.

Who in their right mind would choose to travel on the T12 from Newtown to Welshpool knowing that due to the diversion via Montgomery it would take twice the time by car and 3 times the time by train.

Newtown to Welshpool car 14 miles 22 mins
Newtown to Welshpool bus via Montgomery 44 mins
Newtown to Welshpool train 14 mins.fare £6.00

Well, I guess that an extension to Aber could happen. The reason why it probably didn't would be that, with the T3 already there, you would have had a situation of competing with the X28 that currently has the benefit of a higher frequency. Perhaps as Lloyds operate that, the T12 and the T3, then perhaps something could be done but it isn't totally straightforward.

As for the Newtown to Welshpool section, bus passengers are also catered for by the direct X75 which still takes 37 mins. Whether the situation could be that the X75 be diverted via Montgomery, I don't know. However, it's clearly one of the larger settlements yet one that couldn't support a Bwcabus on its own.

In regard to the impact of T12, there should be historic figures from the composite bus services. Should you be able to obtain those, then it would be a case of comparing with the 2018/9 figures that I'm sure you still have somewhere. Of course, anything after that can't be really employed to draw comparisons.

They identified key points from the mobile network data covering the morning peak period (07:00-10:00): which included high flows on journeys between North Wales and North West England, cross-border journeys starting in South East Wales , and Mid Wales crossing the Wales/England border.

They made no suggestions regarding changes to the bus network and concluded

At present there is no consistent approach to measuring overcrowding on bus routes in Wales. During 2019/20, Bus Users Cymru conducted a large-scale bus service punctuality monitoring programme across Wales Average service punctuality (defined as buses departing a timing point no more than 1 minute early or 5 minutes late) was: 81% in North Wales, 79% in South East Wales, 90% in South West Wales

All 3 areas failed miserably to meet the Traffic Commissioners Standard of 95% although this is not mentioned.
Whilst the 46% annual increase in Trawscymru passenger numbers was quoted in the report, there is no analysis of punctuality data on the Trawscymru Network. From personal observation the T5 is now very unreliable.

There appears to be some conflating of figures and points.

Key points of major flow analyses show a lot of cross-border flows from Newport and Monmouthshire into West of England. For those of us who know the area, and the two bridges concerned, that's not news. In fact, the removal of bridge tolls devastated the former X7 and led to the creation of the partial replacement of the T7. That there's a lot of cross border traffic from Wrexham and Flintshire into the North West of England is hardly news and is, of course, reasonably well served by what remains of Arriva's Welsh business so the need for TrawsCymru (or any other services) is limited.

As for the punctuality, those figures there relate to ALL bus services and not just TrawsCymru.

 

[Rhydgaled]

The Welsh Government does publish transport statistics

https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Transport/Roads/Public-Service-Vehicles.

However it is aggregated data but presumably it is aggregated from data for each individual bus service, so performance of each individual service should be available to the Welsh Government .

They no longer publish Trawscymru transport statistics. Last publication 2017-2018.

Since they have published the statistics previously, they should have no grounds for objecting if you submit a Freedom Of Information request asking for them to be published again.

 

[johntrawscymru]

Well, I guess that an extension to Aber could happen. The reason why it probably didn't would be that, with the T3 already there, you would have had a situation of competing with the X28

Whether the situation could be that the X75 be diverted via Montgomery, I don't know.

You have misunderstood. There would be no competition with the X28 as the T12 would depart from Aberystwyth and travel to Newtown via Llangurig (Links to Rhayader 9 miles away , population 2000, and the South). This would also allow another major town Llanidloes with a population higher than Machynleth and Montgomery to be linked into the Trawscymru network . The T12 would travel as far as Caerswys without following the train route.

The X28 would if anything increase the number of passengers it carries by linking passengers from Machynleth, (along with the T2), with T12 departures from Aberystwyth . The number of passengers on the T12 would be increased by the ten times higher population of Aberystwyth and links with the T1 and T5 arrivals in Aberystwyth from the South. It would probably make more sense to link the T5 from Cardigan with the T12, (rather than the T1), but with the T5 a direct service rather than the meandering service we have now.

Montgomery has a population even lower than Machynleth but obviously needs bus provision, (not Bwcabus), and this should be provided by a Local Bus service timed to link with the T12 long distance service.

As for the punctuality, those figures there relate to ALL bus services and not just TrawsCymru.

That is exactly the point I am making. There have never been any officially regularly reported figures for punctuality on the Trawscymru Network . The Welsh Government have refused to release figures in the past . The end result is that certain services end up with poor punctuality and thereby lose passengers who need reliability. That is exactly the situation now with the T5.

I have no recent experience with the T3 which in 2017,2018,2019 was unreliable.

https://westminsterresearch.westmin...d/3288759/IU Bus Rpt final version 090318.pdf

This article in 2018 identified a problem with the T3 punctuality measured at 87%. My own observations in 2018,2019 indicated the T3 still had a problem with poor punctuality.

then it would be a case of comparing with the 2018/9 figures that I'm sure you still have somewhere.

Since they have published the statistics previously, they should have no grounds for objecting if you submit a Freedom Of Information request asking for them to be published again.

No I do not have the 2018/9 figures somewhere.

We have discussed the 2018/9 figures previously on this thread and know they are not correct .The Welsh Government have removed the 2 Annual reports for 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 from the Welsh Government website in November 2021 and have refused to release the correct versions of the reports.

Feel free to submit a Freedom Of Information request asking for them to be released or published again

The success or otherwise of each Trawscymru service on the network can only be gauged by accurate documented figures on passenger numbers and punctuality.

 

[Markdvdman]

There is a new traws cymru website up!

Transport for Wales - medium to long distance bus travel in Wales

traws.cymru

Looks better but is it any good? Time will tell!

 

[DaveHarries]

There is a new traws cymru website up!

Transport for Wales - medium to long distance bus travel in Wales

traws.cymru

Looks better but is it any good? Time will tell!

Indeed. And speaking of TrawsCymru I seem to recall that some electric buses were due for the T1. Anything further on those of late?

Dave

 

[splashoutradio]

Picked up a Snowdon Sherpa leaflet from the concourse at Llandudno on Monday. The blurb outlines plans for the T22 to start (also with electric vehicles) in mid-summer 2022, but this too appears to have stalled.

 

[Dai Corner]

There is a new traws cymru website up!

Transport for Wales - medium to long distance bus travel in Wales

traws.cymru

Looks better but is it any good? Time will tell!

It appears to using the same template as Newport Bus and Cardiff Bus

 

[markymark2000]

It appears to using the same template as Newport Bus and Cardiff Bus

Standard Passenger template.


Interesting to see that the whole TrawsCymru Connect thing has been dropped else if it does exist, these buses should be on the website too. Shame really that it's been done in this way as anyone connecting to/from the TC routes has to then use separate journey planners. The TC website and app are only useful for people using exclusively TC. Think like Mach-Aber, there is the T2 and the Lloyds X28 which combine to run roughly half hourly. If you use this website exclusively though, you'd be forgiven for thinking there is only the T2 running hourly (ish).

So much for Labour wanting an all inclusive, integrated bus network and then having the TrawsCymru stuff as a standalone site. Seems a bit counter intuitive.

 

[Markdvdman]

As you say the blurb about integrated transport! I tried a search from Cadoxton to Llanelli and it did nothing - especially as it links to the TFW website. As you say EXCLUSIVELY for the TC services. Looks better but ultimately exactly the same! Still shows the T1S service and T9 on the map too - that is poor!!!

 

[Dai Corner]

As you say the blurb about integrated transport! I tried a search from Cadoxton to Llanelli and it did nothing - especially as it links to the TFW website. As you say EXCLUSIVELY for the TC services. Looks better but ultimately exactly the same! Still shows the T1S service and T9 on the map too - that is poor!!!

The T7 is shown as Chepstow to Bristol via Magor, whereas it's actually Magor to Bristol via Chepstow!

 

[johntrawscymru]

As you say the blurb about integrated transport! I tried a search from Cadoxton to Llanelli and it did nothing - especially as it links to the TFW website. As you say EXCLUSIVELY for the TC services. Looks better but ultimately exactly the same! Still shows the T1S service and T9 on the map too - that is poor!!!

Oh how I wish the T1S was still operational which I used to use in order to get to Morriston Hospital.
I now use T1C to junction 44 and the 31 bus from junction 44 to Morriston Hospital. This route is perfectly feasible but not obvious via the integrated transport blurb.

Anyone wishing to use this needs to walk from the stop back 100 yards towards junction 44 and turn right towards Costa Coffee and cross to the far side of the road to the next bus stop to catch the 31.

Two visits recently and the one on 4th October was blighted by problems with the T1C, which appears to be suffering from poor maintenance . As the journey progressed the temperature warning light went red and the driver had to stop at Llandysul to wait for an engineer to come out. There was a 1 hour wait until the engineer arrived to top up the coolant with water. The T1C then made an unscheduled stop in Pencader to let off 2 passengers who wanted to catch the T1 back to Aberystwyth.

I had noticed for many months that the automatic passenger door closing mechanism was not operating correctly and the driver frequently had to get out of the drivers seat to close the door manually. Coming out of Carmarthen the loud door open warning sound began but the driver could not stop and it therefore continued until it could be rectified in Cross Hands.

Along with fairly simple things such as the clock always showing the totally incorrect time this does point to poor vehicle maintenance. It would be interesting to know whether the door fault has been rectified since 4th October.

 

[markymark2000]

The T1C does seem to have questionable reliability. How anyone relies on it I don't know. I don't know if it's driver dependant since some days it runs swimmingly, other days it can be quite late. Really unsure what's the situation with it. From my observations with it though, I think it seems like it's timed and planned as if it's a normal bus, not a coach so not taking into account dwell time. The actual boarding the bus takes slightly longer and any baggage takes time too. Often if there are bags, the driver will do a bit of customer service too which takes a bit more time. The T1C only gets an additional 2 minutes to do Port Talbot to Cardiff Central versus NatEx to Sophia Gardens. That is despite the fact it has to come off and rejoin at Pencoed and had to go around Cardiff Bay and contend with. NatEx has a bit of a faster journey into Sophia Gardens.

I do worry with the T1C is if a wheelchair passenger wanted to get on as the bus isn't prepped for a wheelchair. It has the lift but the seats are all in and they look the type which need taking out, not sliding seats (which some Tourismos have). IF a driver was to start prepping for a wheelchair, that would be a good 10-15 min delay right there simply because the bus isn't prepped.
I've also seen a few instances where the T1C has been replaced by a non PSVAR coach. It would be interesting to see what the situation then would be with TrawsCymru if that got caught.


I think it's a shame that TC don't sell 5 tickets via NatEx or Megabus. The coach often isn't full and so selling seats via these other suppliers with their connections from Cardiff could really boost the T1Cs revenue.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think it's a shame that TC don't sell 5 tickets via NatEx or Megabus. The coach often isn't full and so selling seats via these other suppliers with their connections from Cardiff could really boost the T1Cs revenue.

I don't know about the specific route, but entering the Traws services into the railway timetabling systems and pricing them on there as rail tickets would help. Don't underestimate the power of someone typing their destination into the NRE planner before finding there's no train and giving up and driving...

Perhaps TfW should invest in a proper national journey planner of appropriate quality, like e.g. 9292.nl?

(The slightly odd name is because 9292 was the phone number for public transport enquiries pre-Internet)

 

[Llandudno]

I don't know about the specific route, but entering the Traws services into the railway timetabling systems and pricing them on there as rail tickets would help. Don't underestimate the power of someone typing their destination into the NRE planner before finding there's no train and giving up and driving...

Perhaps TfW should invest in a proper national journey planner of appropriate quality, like e.g. 9292.nl?

(The slightly odd name is because 9292 was the phone number for public transport enquiries pre-Internet)

Wishful thinking..

The Traws Connect route T19 between Llandudno and Bleanau Ffestiniog accepts Conwy Valley train tickets but the train service does not accept T19 issued 1BWS tickets….

 

[markymark2000]

I don't know about the specific route, but entering the Traws services into the railway timetabling systems and pricing them on there as rail tickets would help. Don't underestimate the power of someone typing their destination into the NRE planner before finding there's no train and giving up and driving.

It can be done as the T1 and T5 are in the systems somewhere. It works normally if you go via TFWRails site but other train operators have varying degrees of success. Cardiff - Aberystwyth for example shows as you get a train to Carmarthen then T1 up to Aberystwyth. T1C isn't in there though. That said, given the reliability of it, I wouldn't trust it for connections or anything like that. How would that work for delay repay? (In the interest of completeness, tickets are available from Aberystwyth, Aberaeron and Lampeter to rail destinations. These include connections at Carmarthen for South Wales or Aberystwyth for connections to Shrewsbury and beyond).

Sadly, these show up as a 'rail replacement bus' and do not provide any details of the fact that this is a local bus and the route number so some people could get very easily confused by this. Especially with the 16:02 from Cardiff being the last connection heading this way has a 6 minute connection from the train onto the bus. Will the bus be held? No one knows but I doubt it.

It is a shame that the T1C isn't included though seeing as this offers a journey at 16:45 from Cardiff Central or 18:55 from Carmarthen. Around 40 minutes later than the last train connection via this way.

The Traws Connect route T19 between Llandudno and Bleanau Ffestiniog accepts Conwy Valley train tickets but the train service does not accept T19 issued 1BWS tickets….

Sadly no one has thought about adding the T19 into the railway systems despite the kind of ticket acceptance in place. Rather poor really. You can see where TFWs priorities lie and it's not with North Wales or passengers!

 

[WAB]

Sadly, these show up as a 'rail replacement bus' and do not provide any details of the fact that this is a local bus and the route number so some people could get very easily confused by this. Especially with the 16:02 from Cardiff being the last connection heading this way has a 6 minute connection from the train onto the bus. Will the bus be held? No one knows but I doubt it.

In the timetable, you can differentiate between timetabled bus services and RRBs. TfW's journey planner should show it as a local bus. Not sure whether there is a way you could associate particular trips with a route number though.

That said, given the reliability of it, I wouldn't trust it for connections or anything like that. How would that work for delay repay?

Realistically, you need to give buses the same standing (in terms of delay repay, obligation to reroute, travel on the next train if on APs, and replacing the last bus if needed) as trains if you want people to use them.

 

[WelshBuses93]

New TrawsCymru service T8 commencing the 23rd January. Operating between Corwen, Ruthin, Mold and Chester and will be operated by M&H Coaches of Trefnant, Denbigh.
https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...registered-local-bus-services/details/605791/ - T8B Ruthin-Chester
https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...registered-local-bus-services/details/605586/ - T8A Ruthin-Corwen

 

[markymark2000]

New TrawsCymru service T8 commencing the 23rd January. Operating between Corwen, Ruthin, Mold and Chester and will be operated by M&H Coaches of Trefnant, Denbigh.
https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...registered-local-bus-services/details/605791/ - T8B Ruthin-Chester
https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...registered-local-bus-services/details/605586/ - T8A Ruthin-Corwen

They do like giving notice for these things don't they. Crikey.

Is this simply the 55 and 1/2/X1 merging? If so, are there any notable changes to the timetables?

 

[WelshBuses93]

They do like giving notice for these things don't they. Crikey.

Is this simply the 55 and 1/2/X1 merging? If so, are there any notable changes to the timetables?

From what I've heard, it will be an hourly service straight through. Service 2 will be seperate from the T8.

 

[markymark2000]

From what I've heard, it will be an hourly service straight through. Service 2 will be seperate from the T8.

Can't see Arriva being too pleased with that. They will lose so many customers with this.

I am not going to complain too much though as it means more buses to Chester and a quicker way to access weird and wonderful places but still.

 

[Llandudno]

Can't see Arriva being too pleased with that. They will lose so many customers with this.

I am not going to complain too much though as it means more buses to Chester and a quicker way to access weird and wonderful places but still.

Perhaps another step by Senedd/Traws Cymru to encourage Arriva to walk away from commercial bus operation in north Wales.

Maybe Traws Cymru could bring back the Cymru Coastliner from Chester to Caernarfon to abstract revenue from Arriva’s 5, 11 and 12 routes…?

 

[Welshman]

Can't see Arriva being too pleased with that. They will lose so many customers with this.

I am not going to complain too much though as it means more buses to Chester and a quicker way to access weird and wonderful places but still.

This seems mainly a proposal to enhance the existing M&H services, avoid changing buses in Ruthin, and, hopefully, providing good connections with the exisiting T3 to from Corwen to Barmouth. I can't see Arriva being too troubled by that, unless there is a substantial flow for Corwen to Chester via Llangollen and Wrexham.

Perhaps another step by Senedd/Traws Cymru to encourage Arriva to walk away from commercial bus operation in north Wales.

Maybe Traws Cymru could bring back the Cymru Coastliner from Chester to Caernarfon to abstract revenue from Arriva’s 5, 11 and 12 routes…?

Although it would be good to have a restored express service Chester-Caernarfon, I think its unlikely in the light of the proposed Manchester-Chester -Bangor hourly service.

 

[markymark2000]

This seems mainly a proposal to enhance the existing M&H services, avoid changing buses in Ruthin, and, hopefully, providing good connections with the exisiting T3 to from Corwen to Barmouth. I can't see Arriva being too troubled by that, unless there is a substantial flow for Corwen to Chester via Llangollen and Wrexham.

No one changes buses though in Ruthin as no one is making these journeys. It's like the T12. Tenders being thrown together to make a long distance route but hardly anyone will travel longer distance.


As for the flows which will affect Arriva, it's not so much Corwen or Llangollen but in fact Mold. Arriva has good Mold to Broughton Retail Park and Chester flows with 3 buses per hour. Broughton Village into Chester having 2 buses per hour and Broughton Shopping Park, and Saltney to Chester having upto 6 buses per hour. It's a very busy corridor for them. And the Welsh Govt think it's a good idea to duplicate over 6 buses per hour with their tenders.

This won't go down well if passengers start to switch, as they undoubtedly will. Some people already use the X1 between Mold and Broughton and Chester as it's much quicker than Arriva. Increasing the frequency is only going to really harm Arrivas patronage.

 

[Bwsbro]

First Cymru have cancelled their route registration for the T1 dated 6th Feb 2023.

A full re-tendering exercise has taken place for this service, and should be the first TrawsCymru route to be operated by fully electric vehicles.

Bus registration details​

• Registration numberPG0000421/498
• Licence NumberPG0000421
• Variation number7
• StatusCancelled
• Service number.T1
• Service typeNormal Stopping
• Start pointABERYSTWIYTH BUS STATION
• Finish pointLAMPETER HIGH STREET
• Via
• Date received08 Nov 2022
• Effective date06 Feb 2023
• End date
• Supported by subsidies?Yes
• Local authorities covered by routeCarmarthenshire Council
• Ceredigion County Council
• TAOs covered by routeWales

https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...registered-local-bus-services/details/605157/

 

[markymark2000]

First Cymru have cancelled their route registration for the T1 dated 6th Feb 2023.

A full re-tendering exercise has taken place for this service, and should be the first TrawsCymru route to be operated by fully electric vehicles.

https://www.vehicle-operator-licens...registered-local-bus-services/details/605157/

Given the recent Ceredigion Council issues with getting operators to run buses in the area, I do wonder who will take on the T1 as if First is a no go. The local operators aren't exactly the biggest, certainly not around Carmarthen.

Going to be very interesting to see the tender win.

 

[Bwsbro]

4x TrawsCymru Electric Yutongs in the TrawsCymru Green livery have been delivered to Gwynfor Coaches Caernarfon Depot earlier today on behalf of Gwynedd Council for a few weeks, its not believed that they are to be operated by Gwynfor and only there for storage.

These were last spotted at the Go Ahead Gateshead Depot earlier this year

Being reported on the Ron’s buses and coaches website that M&H Coaches have acquired two Optare Solo SR YJ64DXO & YJ64DXR for the new T8 service, these will join YJ21FBA and one of the Streetlite for the service and reports that these will be rebranded in the TrawsCymru Red Livery

Early next year a new TrawsCymru T8 service running between Corwen and Chester via Ruthin and Mold will commence. It will replace the 55 Corwen to Ruthin and the X1 Ruthin to Mold and Chester services. The Ruthin to Mold via Eryrys and Llanarmon-yn-Ial route will remain as a stand alone 2 service.
The new service will be operated by M and H Coaches. They currently operate the existing routes.

To cater for the additional capacity M and H have acquired two Optare Solos SR M890 YJ64DXR and YJ64DXO which were previously with Scarlet Band and operated the Park and Ride in Durham.

https://ronsbusesandcoaches.blogspo...OMmTPPg6lBiZv4ONb58bZKpfkHFQfZviuLiVpWYrQ&m=1

 

[TheGrandWazoo]

No one changes buses though in Ruthin as no one is making these journeys. It's like the T12. Tenders being thrown together to make a long distance route but hardly anyone will travel longer distance.


As for the flows which will affect Arriva, it's not so much Corwen or Llangollen but in fact Mold. Arriva has good Mold to Broughton Retail Park and Chester flows with 3 buses per hour. Broughton Village into Chester having 2 buses per hour and Broughton Shopping Park, and Saltney to Chester having upto 6 buses per hour. It's a very busy corridor for them. And the Welsh Govt think it's a good idea to duplicate over 6 buses per hour with their tenders.

This won't go down well if passengers start to switch, as they undoubtedly will. Some people already use the X1 between Mold and Broughton and Chester as it's much quicker than Arriva. Increasing the frequency is only going to really harm Arrivas patronage.

What is the frequency planned to be for the T8? Hourly?