A LAMPETER-BASED cycling enthusiast is stepping up his campaign for bicycles to be allowed aboard the Bwcabus rural bus service.

Tim Strang believes such a move would increase the use of scheduled services and promote tourism while at the same time encouraging the use of bikes with all the resulting benefits.

But although his campaign has drawn the support of Ceredigion MP Ben Lake, it has yet to convince bus operators.

“I find their response bewildering,” Mr Strang, 64, of Bwlchllan, told the Cambrian News.

“Excuses range from: ‘the vehicles are not equipped to carry bikes’ to ‘other passengers might injure themselves on the bikes’ and ‘the costs of modifications to the buses to allow the carriage of bikes would be prohibitive’.

“I have noticed two of the prominent characteristics of the Bwcabus service here in Ceredigion.

“The first is that the buses are usually stationary in a lay-by and the second is that they are virtually always empty. I personally have never seen one anywhere near full capacity.

“The Bwcabus service operates to link the outlying rural communities with the main bus routes.

“It would seem a wonderful opportunity to allow individuals living in remote locations to cycle to the stops that the Bwcabus service uses and to allow passengers to carry their bikes on their onward journey."

A Bwcabus spokesperson said a TrawsCymru trial of the carriage of bicycles on buses had proved unsuccessful.

“As for our policy on this issue it was decided by all partners involved in the scheme not to allow the carriage of bicycles,” he added.

“This decision was made on robust advice from the operator contracted by us to undertake Bwcabus duties citing safety issues.

“This was driven by the fact there are no adequate stowage facilities on our vehicles and the need to keep the central aisle free for access to the emergency exit.”

See this week’s South Ceredigion paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now