Bus transport in Wales

Bus transport in Wales

History

In 1845, the first recorded horse-drawn bus services occurred in Cardiff.

In 1870, the Cardiff Tramways Company was established and later ran horse trams and buses.

By 1902, the Corporation of Cardiff had taken over the Cardiff Tramways Company, and had commenced operating electric powered trams in the city.

On 2 May 1914, South Wales Transport commenced their first bus services, with the company providing connecting bus services in Swansea to the Swansea Improvements and Tramway Company.

In the early 20th century motor buses had some operations in Cardiff, although these early buses were described to be uncomfortable, with the pneumatic tyres not being introduced until 1924, and the closing of open top-decks with the first roofs until 1925.

In 1937, motor buses replaced trams in Swansea. In 1942, trolleybuses were introduced in Cardiff, including both single-deck and double-deckers.

In 1943, a pay-as-you go enter system replaced fare-collecting conductors on Cardiff's buses.

In 1950, trams stopped operating in Cardiff.

In 1958, South Wales Transport bought the Swansea and Mumbles Railway, an electric tram service which was closed in 1960.

Starting in 1962, motor buses were introduced in Cardiff, phasing out the use of trolleybuses which were last operated until 1970.

On 1 January 1969, South Wales Transport became part of the National Bus Company. The National Bus Company operated a subsidiary known as Crosville, operating services across North and Mid Wales and Cheshire in England.

In May 1987, the National Bus Company was undergoing privatisation, with South Wales Transport and Crosville sold to management buyouts.

In 1989, National Express bought Crosville Wales, but then Drawlane (to be British Bus) bought Crosville in 1991.

Following the formation of FirstBus in 1995, its Welsh operations were rebranded as First Cymru.

In 2002, Arriva Cymru, formed from the purchase of Crosville, merged with Arriva North West (England), but was demerged into Arriva Buses Wales in 2009.

Recent history

In 2018, a study suggested that the distance travelled by bus in Wales had declined by 20% from 2006–2007 to 2016–2017, the most of the UK nations, and that the miles covered with financal support from local authorities had almost halved. The Welsh Local Government Association stated the findings "undermine[d] the case for continued financial support for non-commercial services". The Welsh Government described the findings as "misleading", as the study did not consider the impact of an increase in train journeys and excluded the long-distance TrawsCymru bus services.

In July 2020, Gwynedd Council published a "2020 North Wales Regional Bus Strategy".

In March 2022, the Welsh Government proposed changing the structure of the bus system in Wales into a single franchising system and network styled Bws Cymru for Bus Wales, an equivalent to London Buses. The white paper proposed establishing one ticketing system, one timetable and one operator, with private firms bidding to run services, while Welsh Ministers held a larger say in the management of the system. A 12-week consultation was launched following the announcement, and the government would introduce a law to franchise all bus services in Wales. The proposed system differs from England and Scotland, where local authorities command more control, although the Welsh Government also announced it intends lift the ban on allowing local authorities to set up new publicly owned bus companies.

In November 2022, First Cymru simplified its "Tap On-Tap Off" fare capping service in Bridgend County Borough where adult customer fares would be calculated based on the direct distance travelled by the customer.

On 11 February 2023, the Welsh Government's Bus Emergency Scheme was extended for three months until June 2023. The scheme aimed to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales on the bus industry. The Welsh Government later confirmed that it would not extend the scheme further. The termination of the scheme would potentially lead to cuts to bus services in Wales. Llyr Gruffydd MS criticised the cuts, stating it would leave the poorest and most vulnerable people isolated.

In March 2023, the Coach and Bus Association Cymru warned that the cuts must be averted for the Welsh Government to meet its long-term policy for the future of the network, and argued there were medium-term solutions to avoid the threat of a "skeleton" network.

Operating companies and services

See also: List of current bus operators of the United Kingdom and List of bus operators of the United Kingdom

• Express services
• Park and Ride services
• School bus services
• Hail and Ride services
• Demand responsive transport services
• Long-distance coach services
• Zero-fare services

TrawsCymru

Main articles: TrawsCymru and TrawsCambria

TrawsCymru are a set of routes, set up by the Welsh Government but operated by private bus companies using the TrawsCymru branding. This service is similar to a previous service, TrawsCambria. The network is planned to be entirely zero-emission by 2026.

Fflecsi

Main article: Fflecsi

Fflecsi minibus on Malpas Road, Newport, in August 2021 for Newport's pilot service

In May 2020, Transport for Wales launched a trial demand-responsive bus service, named "fflecsi", which was operated by local bus operators across Wales. By the beginning of September 2020, fflecsi had recorded over 7,000 journeys on its service since its launch in mid-May 2020. The largest pilot of the service commenced in Newport, South Wales, with up to 48% of all fflecsi journeys being in the city in September 2020. The Newport pilot service ended on 25 September 2022. From May 2020 to May 2021, it had recorded 50,000 trips on its then seven pilot services across Wales, with four being single bus routes.

UK-wide operators and services

• Megabus only operate services in South Wales, with a service from England, connecting Newport, Cardiff and Swansea. They offer a connecting route north of Cardiff to Abergavenny, passing Caerphilly (limited), Blackwood (limited), Merthyr Tydfil and Brynmawr.

• National Express operate largely west-east services in Wales. They operate services along the North Wales coast to Holyhead, Llandudno, Colwyn Bay and Abergele. A Mid Wales service from England to Aberystwyth, passing Welshpool, Newtown, and Llanidloes. For South Wales, they operate services to Newport, Cardiff, Sarn (Bridgend), Port Talbot, Swansea, Llanelli, Carmarthen and destinations in Pembrokeshire. They also operate services to Wrexham.

Local services and operators

• Arriva Buses Wales operate services across North Wales. Including the first UK Arriva Sapphire service launched in Wrexham in 2013.
• Lloyds Coaches operate services in North and Mid Wales, mainly in Gwynedd and northern Ceredigion. They operate their local buses in Meirionnydd, connecting Barmouth, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Dolgellau, and Tywyn. Lloyds also operate TrawsCymru services, including the T2 Bangor to Aberystwyth, T3 Barmouth to Wrexham, and the T12 Machynlleth to Wrexham service via Welshpool, Newtown and Oswestry (England).
• First Cymru operate services in South West Wales, in and around Bridgend, Cardiff, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest, Llanelli, Maesteg, Neath, Pembroke, Pontardawe, Port Talbot, Swansea and Tenby. They also operate a "Swansea Metro"–branded bus rapid transit route in Swansea, and the X10 Swansea–Cardiff service and "Cymru Clipper" network between Carmarthen and Cardiff.
• Stagecoach South Wales operate services in South East Wales, including in Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Monmouthshire, Powys, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea and Torfaen as well as services into Herefordshire in England.
• Sherpa'r Wyddfa, formerly the Snowdon Sherpa, is a bus service operating around Snowdonia (Eryri) in Northern Gwynedd, connecting Bangor, Beddgelert, Betws-y-Coed, Caernarfon and Porthmadog.

Cardiff

Main article: Bus transport in Cardiff

Other services

Private uses

Private use of bus transport in Wales encompasses tour buses, vehicles for hire, and holiday excursions/package tours.

In May 2022, Bws Benthyg for Borrow Bus was launched as a pilot in North East Wales, providing equipment avaliable to be borrowed by residents as well as a destination for donations by residents which may have otherwise gone to waste. It aims to save money, reduce clutter in households and help the environment.

Preservation

Main article: Bus preservation in the United Kingdom

• Swansea Bus Museum

Manufacturers

Between the 1930s and late 1940s the bus manufacturer Associated Equipment Company (AEC) was the preferred bus manufacturer for operators in Cardiff.

Infrastructure

While "driver-only" buses were first operated in 1923, its large-scale introduction only occurred until the 1970s in Cardiff, with full implementation by 1980.

Bus rapid transit systems

Main article: List of guided busways and BRT systems in the United Kingdom

Cardiff proposed? Ftrmetro Swansea

Other bus services

Bus passes

Transport for Wales offers a bus passes for free bus travel to the disabled, those aged 60 or over, and injured service personnel.

MyTravelPass is offered to those living in Wales aged 16–21, giving a third of their bus fare off.

Between 26 March 2022 and 24 July 2023, the Welsh Government offered free bus travel to refugees on local bus services and Transport for Wales-operated bus services wholly within Wales.

Ticketing

Some services in Wales offer Multi-operator tickets.

A "Tap On Tap Off" ticketing system is in operation in Cardiff by Cardiff Bus, multiple operators in North Wales including Arriva Cymru, and in Bridgend by First Cymru. It is expected to be introduced on the Stagecoach South Wales network in 2023.

On 23 February 2023, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council announced they planned to offer free bus services throughout March 2023.

In May 2023, Swansea Council announced plans for free resident bus travel during the summer, Christmas, and Easter school holidays, to help residents during the cost-of-living crisis.

Park and ride

Further information: Park and ride bus services in the United Kingdom

Cardiff, the capital, currently operates 4 sites in north, south, east and west of the city. A scheme in Swansea, in the south west of the country, currently operates from 3 sites. The Mid Wales town of Aberystwyth also has its own scheme.

† – Not including sites proposed or under construction. Only including sites in use 5 days or more a week, and not seasonal/Saturday only/event only usage

FirstCymru operates park and ride services in South Wales, including Fabian Way and Landore in Swansea, Nant-Y-Ci in Carmarthen and a summer park and ride in Tenby.

Fleet

Tradtionally buses in Cardiff were crimson and cream, until the 1970s when they became orange and white, and green in 1999. Cardiff also had bendybuses introduced in 2006. The minibus was widely introduced to Cardiff in the 1980s, with its clipper buses being present across the city.

Zero emission

The Welsh Government plans for the TrawsCymru network to be entirely zero-emission by 2026, 50% of the most-polluting buses to be replace by zero-emission in 2028, and all by 2035.

However, by February 2022, Wales had no Government-run fund to help bus operators deal with the costs of green vehicles and infrastructure, unlike England and Scotland. The Welsh Government said a scheme was being developed for 2022.

In January 2022, Cardiff Bus revealed its new 36 electric zero-emission buses, making almost a quarter of its entire fleet. This followed the first introduction of electric buses in Cardiff in 2018.

The first permanent electric bus in service was in Newport in 2019.

See also

• List of bus stations in Wales
• Bus transport in the United Kingdom
• Coach transport in the United Kingdom
• Bus transport in Cardiff
• Transport in Wales
• Transport in the United Kingdom

External links

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📰 Article(s) of the same category(ies)

• List of largest towns in Wales without a railway station
• Free b
• Country Bus Devon
• Metrication of British transport
• Network North

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