Despite the Welsh Government confirming that TrawsCymru contracts require operators to ensure 95% of services run on time, Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, and Shadow Minister for Older People, has found that 50% of services did not meet the target in 2018/19.
Responding to the finding, Janet said:
“Public transport is a key lever for tackling isolation and climate change.
“TrawsCymru is an environmentally friendly way to travel long distance in Wales, but service users are being let down.
“I have heard of constituents being left stranded with no bus turning up in Porthmadog, found that 454 complaints were made between 1 November 2018 and 31 October 2019, and that 50 per cent of services did not meet the contractual requirement for 95 per cent of services to run on time in 2018/19.
“This is not good enough, and goes to highlight that urgent action is needed to ensure that long distance bus travel in Wales is reliable.
“At the moment, the Welsh Government funded service is not fulfilling its potential.
“Tax payers’ money is keeping the wheels on these buses going round and round, so the least we can expect is a satisfactory service”.
ENDS
Written Assembly Question by Janet Finch-Saunders AM:
Further to WAQ79062, will the Minister state which of the 12 Traws Cymru service providers met the requirement for 95 per cent of services to run on time in 2018/19?
Response from Ken Skates AM, Minister for Economy and Transport:
During 2018/19 the following TrawsCymru services were recorded as meeting the Traffic Commissioners target of 95% running to time: T1, T1C, T2, T3, T5, T12.
Notes:
