THE number of people taking advantage of the free TrawsCymru transport on weekends is increasing – on some routes seeing hikes of more than 100 per cent.

The First Minister announced funding for a trial of free weekend travel on the Traws Cymru bus network in March 2017. Data covering July 2017 to March 2018 shows the scheme has generated an additional 133,391 passengers on weekends across the TrawsCymru network, an increase of 65.49 per cent, compared to the equivalent period in 2016-17.

TrawsCymru is the Welsh Government funded, long-distance bus network for Wales comprising a number of routes, the latest of which connected Aberystwyth with Carmarthen and Port Talbot before continuing on to Cardiff.

Mr Skates said: “The trial of free weekend travel on the TrawsCymru bus network has certainly shown some excellent early results. Passenger numbers are up and we are getting more people using buses on the network across Wales. This is great because it encourages more people into the habit of using buses, helping us support other routes across Wales.

“When you look, for example, at the benefit of the investment we’ve made to strengthen services between Aberystwyth and Carmarthen, Swansea and Cardiff, the numbers tell a very clear story – more people are using the services and that’s good for the communities and the economies along those routes.

“Our improvements seem to have made the difference for our passengers. This has easily exceeded projected passenger growth figures of 20 per cent on TrawsCymru weekend services, which were predicted at the start of the trial.

“These figures across Wales are encouraging and I hope we see further improvements in the future.”

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