Madam,

Your readers between Dolgellau and Machynlleth should be made aware that they can now use the T1C coach service to Cardiff.

The Welsh Government has finally succumbed after nine months of cajoling and has made the T2 from Dolgellau and the T1C connecting services so that passengers from Dolgellau can now use the T1C coach service to Cardiff.

This is more down to the fact that the T2 operator supported the change and is not due to action by Ceredigion Council or the Welsh Government.

Perhaps that may prompt the Welsh Government to review T2/T1 connections in Aberystwyth?

However, there is still no sign of the last T2 arrival of the day in Aberystwyth from Bangor being made into a connecting service with the last 18.40 T1 departure to Carmarthen.

Before January 2018 the T2 arrived at 18.40 and passengers had a 50 per cent chance of connecting with the 18.40 T1 to Carmarthen.

In 2016 the Welsh Traffic Commissioner, who regulates bus services, had forced the Welsh Government to reduce 15-minute delays in Dolgellau to the T2 Bangor to Aberystwyth service.

The 15-minute delays to the T2 were used to wait for late T3 Wrexham to Barmouth services.

The delay to the T2 was reduced from 15 minutes to 10 minutes which met the legal requirements of the Road Traffic Regulations.

The Welsh Government in January 2018 changed the T2 arrival time in Aberystwyth from 18.40 to 18.50.

It has now been revealed that in January 2018, when the T2 service arrival time in Aberystwyth was changed to 18.50, this was done by a) returning to a 15-minute delay in Dolgellau combined with b) an unnecessary five-minute wait in Machynlleth. Passengers on this service can now experience a 15-minute wait in Dolgellau followed by a 10-minute wait in Machynlleth, and the Machynlleth wait is particularly puzzling to all passengers as it is completely unnecessary.

In view of the support provided by Lloyds of Machynlleth with the T2/T1C connection I shall write to them on this issue as they must be aware that a 10-minute wait in Machynlleth is unnecessary and this service should run through Machynlleth with no delay, as it used to do before January 2018.

I shall also write to the Traffic Commissioner regarding the return in January 2018 to a 15-minute delay to the T2 in Dolgellau, which does not comply with the Welsh Traffic Commissioner’s guidelines.

Yours etc, Dr John McTighe, Llanrhystud.

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