A LLANRHYSTUD bus company which runs a service between Aberystwyth and Cardiff has gone into administration, with the loss of around 40 jobs.

Lewis Coaches stopped operations today Friday, 12 August, citing “businesses issues beyond the company’s control”.

While Ceredigion council said it was confident that local services supplied by the company, including school transport, would continue under new operators - the 701 service between Aberystwyth and Cardiff has been shut down.

Lewis Coaches, which has been running for the last 35 years, provides European coach tours as well as its local services, and took over the 701 service last year.

The company took it over from Bryan’s Coaches, which itself took the service over from Arriva Bus Wales which shut down the service and several Ceredigion depots in a cost-cutting exercise in 2013.

In a statement on its website, Lewis Coaches said: “It is with great sadness that due to business issues beyond our control, Lewis Coaches will be closing its doors on 12 August.

“We would like to thank all our customers for their loyal custom over the years, and we hope this does not cause any problems for anyone.”

Ceredigion council called the closure “unfortunate” and said officers “are working on arrangements to maintain the services and travel opportunities that the company provided on its behalf.”