Around 100 Ceredigion bus users gathered over the weekend to discuss ways of saving services in rural Wales.

The Bus Action Day was organised by The Ceredigion Bus Action Group and took place in St Paul’s Church. It was supported by Aberystwyth University, staff from the Transport and Health Integrated research Network - THINK project and the Aberystwyth Eco Hub.

Saturday’s event gave members of the public an opportunity to think of ideas to tackle declining bus services across the county.

Attendees were split into small groups to discuss topics concerning bus services such as: ‘How can buses be funded’; 'How can the public image of buses be improved'; and 'What are the alternatives to traditional bus services to meet the needs of communities.'

Each group’s ideas were then shared between all attendants.

Ceredigion councillors and officers from the council’s transport department attended alongside members of Bus Users Cymru and Mencap Unite.

Ceredigion MP Ben Lake also attended, and heard from residents who have been affected by the service cuts.

A ‘Grievance Wall’ was also set up in the church where bus users wrote their particular complaints about bus services in Ceredigion.

Attendees also listened to the experience of a group of bus users from Monmouthshire who call themselves ‘Friends of the 65 Bus’ participate in their local council’s Strategic Transport Group and have taken responsibility for certain aspects of bus service provision in their area.

A spokesperson for the The Ceredigion bus Action Group discussed some of the points and concerns raised by attendees at the event.

They said: “Some major themes to come out of the Bus Action Day were that the Welsh Government’s ideas are too urban centred - in a rural county like Ceredigion, different measures apply.

“Bus users want politicians to see buses as a public service, not a profit making business. They also want a Ceredigion wide strategic plan where buses meet up, and services are at times relevant for passengers.”

Member of The Ceredigion Bus Action and event organiser Elly Foster said: "It was heartening to see so many people at our Bus Action Day. They came from all over Ceredigion. This is a county wide campaign group, arguing for the rights of all those residents in Ceredigion who are bus dependent. They should not be treated like second class citizens.”

The ideas and points discussed at the event will be put together and published in a report by The Ceredigion Bus Action Group which will be emailed to participants and available online through the THINK website: think.aber.ac.uk

Ceredigion Bus Action Group has since been invited to discuss the event with MS Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for transport.