Cardiff Bus/Coach Station

[markymark2000]

But they own the bus company.

It's amazing isn't it!

Simply owning a bus company does not mean they are pro bus. I can provide other examples of that if people want a separate thread.

 

[Cdiff]

https://www.wales247.co.uk/cardiffs-new-bus-interchange-welcomes-9000-passengers-a-day

News article about the Bus Interchange and it includes that First Cymru will be using it from the 5th January.

 

[markymark2000]

https://www.wales247.co.uk/cardiffs-new-bus-interchange-welcomes-9000-passengers-a-day

News article about the Bus Interchange and it includes that First Cymru will be using it from the 5th January.

Great news. That's another 3.5 buses per hour into the interchange. It also now means no buses will be starting or ending their journey on Westgate Street (bar the circulars and one or two late night Cardiff buses which terminate on Westgate Street so they can turn right and head homewards).

I hope First don't face the same issues that Newport Bus did at night with Cardiffs lawless taxi drivers blocking access and parking in all sorts of dangerous ways around the southern bus station entrance/exit.

 

[Markdvdman]

Funny you should say that. I was on the 63 from the Porthcawl Interchange at 6:15am on Saturday and driver told me the X2 would start there in January. I would have posted earlier but you do not always get thr truth ha ha!

 

[Cdiff]

ITV Wales also did a segment on the interchange and had a member of TFW state that First Cymru would take it to near capacity. I can’t imagine adding 3 extra services an hour would take it anywhere near capacity unless Cardiff Bus are also planning to add extra services.


https://www.itv.com/watch/news/card...terchange-continues-to-divide-opinion/7332gtf

 

[Cdiff]

First cymru will be using stands 1&2 for their services. Cardiff Bus are also going to start putting the 11 into the interchange but only on Sundays and every hour.

Hopefully that’ll be the catalyst to start putting some more services into it. The services that go down Mill Lane/Canal St (1,2,6,7&8) are every hour apart from the 6 and should all be able to fit into the Interchange without much problem.

 

[CN12 AWU]

I'm Suprised Stagecoach are not taking there T4/T14, X3 etc into the bus station or back around the railway station loop like they used to, be better than there current terminus down a back street near the Castle

 

[markymark2000]

I'm Suprised Stagecoach are not taking there T4/T14, X3 etc into the bus station or back around the railway station loop like they used to, be better than there current terminus down a back street near the Castle

The distance may not seem like much but the time it takes from Greyfriars Road area to the bus station is about 7 minutes so it's an extra bus needed. The route gets heavily congested quite easily and lots of traffic lights to contend with, as such you risk reliability of the service.
Any time there is any event, you are forced to cut the link again because the road near the Castle gets shut. In the end, you hardly serve the bus station, and when you do it will cost you in additional resources. It's just not worth it for any of the Stagecoach North Road routes to divert to the bus station.

X3 could do it easily by not serving Greyfriars Road at all, and running in via Queen Street station and Customhouse Street to get to the bus station. Cwmbran have been trying to kill off the X3 and so I highly doubt they would put more resources into it to serve both. Also paying bus station departure fees, I can't see that helping the X3 viability.

 

[Dai Corner]

I'm Suprised Stagecoach are not taking there T4/T14, X3 etc into the bus station or back around the railway station loop like they used to, be better than there current terminus down a back street near the Castle

Greyfriars Road bus stops are only about 3 mins walk from Queen's Arcade in the shopping district. Depending on exactly where you're going it's probably quicker to get off there than stay on until the bus station.

 

[embers25]

True but it's a long walk to central station from Greyfriars and Trawscymru are supposed to be integrated links with trains which the T4 is not now at all.

 

[Dai Corner]

True but it's a long walk to central station from Greyfriars and Trawscymru are supposed to be integrated links with trains which the T4 is not now at all.

I don't expect there are many bus passengers from Pontypridd or Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff Central for onward connections. An Anytime Day Return from Pontypridd to Bristol (for example) is £4.80 more than the fare from Cardiff but the bus return fare is £6.00 so the train is cheaper as well as more convenient. Those travelling from north of Merthyr can change to rail there with about a 3 minute walk.

 

[Cowley]

Thread reopened for @tigermonstera to update

 

[tigermonstera]

Thanks! Cardiff Council have approved an application (Planning Ref. 24/02813/ADV) to install a large digital screen outside of Cardiff Bus Interchange, above its main pedestrian entrance. This screen was included in the original renders of the building, but wasn't present when it first opened.

The screen has been approved under the condition that its usage be split as follows:

Commercial advertisements : 4 of 6 per minute
1/6 of the time per minute will be shared by Cardiff Council and TfW and this space will be made
available at zero cost.
1/6 will be available for the Welsh Government or other public sector messaging at 50% of the
commercial rate

Additionally, the application also includes provision for a new illuminated sign to replace the existing vinyl "Cardiff Bus Interchange" sign.

 

[satters]

I wonder how long it will remain operational, before as so many it fails and gets a paper notice atop of it, or just switched off blank

 

[Cdiff]

Some extra routes are also going into the interchange, Cardiff Bus 6/7/8 will now operate from the end of June.

 

[markymark2000]

Some extra routes are also going into the interchange, Cardiff Bus 6/7/8 will now operate from the end of June.

The Skycar is moving in as well. It will be really helpful moving the 6 into the bus station as it's a question that staff at Cardiff Central get asked constantly, "where do I get the bus to the Bay?" especially when the trains are off and TFW does the normal ticket acceptance.

It will leave only the 1/1A, 2/2A on Canal Street and the 11 off Hayes Bridge Road. This is quite good and should hopefully help buses as I know they do sometimes get stuck because of the amount of taxis on Canal Street or amount of cars coming out of the St Davids car park. I wonder if these services will ever move into the interchange or whether they will forever stay on Canal Street/Hayes Bridge Road?


I do think it's a shame that TFW still won't put services together which run the same way. 6, 7 and 8 will be on the same stand despite going completely different ways. The 96 and X2 still aren't on the same stands despite running the exact same route from the Bus Interchange to Culverhouse Cross etc. Is this what we have to look forward to with public control and nationalisation? An organisation who can't even allocate stands in a bus station to try and keep routes together which are running to the same destinations?

 

[Envoy]

Thanks! Cardiff Council have approved an application (Planning Ref. 24/02813/ADV) to install a large digital screen outside of Cardiff Bus Interchange, above its main pedestrian entrance. This screen was included in the original renders of the building, but wasn't present when it first opened.

The screen has been approved under the condition that its usage be split as follows:


Additionally, the application also includes provision for a new illuminated sign to replace the existing vinyl "Cardiff Bus Interchange" sign.

Sounds like it will be tacky to me.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 Jun 2025 ==

The Skycar is moving in as well. It will be really helpful moving the 6 into the bus station as it's a question that staff at Cardiff Central get asked constantly, "where do I get the bus to the Bay?" especially when the trains are off and TFW does the normal ticket acceptance.

I also note that signage in the Central station subway is non existent for those unfamiliar with the city; for example, there is nothing to indicate which way to the city centre / Transport Interchange (bus station).

I do think it's a shame that TFW still won't put services together which run the same way. 6, 7 and 8 will be on the same stand despite going completely different ways. The 96 and X2 still aren't on the same stands despite running the exact same route from the Bus Interchange to Culverhouse Cross etc. Is this what we have to look forward to with public control and nationalisation? An organisation who can't even allocate stands in a bus station to try and keep routes together which are running to the same destinations?

Totally agree. Someone wanting the X2 or 96 would like them on the same bay - or next to each other as they both follow the same route to Culverhouse Cross.