SWINGEING cuts to bus services in Ceredigion have been raised in the Senedd by a Mid and West Wales MS.
Jane Dodds MS is calling for the Welsh Government to step up to secure services after raising the situation in Ceredigion in the Senedd.
Over the past few months, a large number of cuts to bus services have been introduced by Ceredigion County Council and independent operators.
Since the end of December three subsidised services have stopped: the Tregaron circular service, the Penrhyncoch to Pontrhydybeddau, and Aberystwyth to Devil’s Bridge routes.
On three other routes, buses now run less often from Aberystwyth to Ponterwyd, to Penrhyncoch, and to Lampeter via Tregaron.
Mid Wales Travel has also announced halved services on three routes from Aberystwyth town centre to the university campus, to Borth and Ynyslas, and the Penparcau circular.
The Welsh Government has also announced that the Bus Emergency Scheme (BES) introduced during the pandemic to keep bus services afloat, is due to end in June having been extended for three months.
With passengers still below pre-pandemic levels, bus companies are warning that without financial support, routes and services could be lost.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for the Welsh Government to adopt a package of measures outlined in a report by the Confederation of Passenger Transport which are designed to increase the attractiveness of bus networks and to make bus travel cheaper.
They are also calling for any money saved by cancellations of road building as a result of the Welsh Government’s Road Review to be ploughed into bus services.
Ms Dodds said: “Bus services are absolutely vital for rural areas like Ceredigion, from building a strong economy to tackling loneliness to keeping young people in the county to tackling climate change.
“The latest set of cuts are not acceptable.
“Plaid Cymru and Labour need to use their partnership to set out red lines and push for solutions.
“I am calling for the Welsh Government to introduce a package of measures as outlined by a report by the Confederation of Passenger Transport.
“I also want to see any money saved from cancelling large road-building projects ploughed into our bus services.
“We cannot expect people to move away from cars if an alternative form of sustainable public transport isn’t being provided in its place.
“We need to see the Welsh Government outline a sustainable alternative for the BES, they simply cannot let routes drop off a cliff edge as has been happening already in Ceredigion.”