Welsh Govt now have powers devolved to them to enable the re-regulation of bus services in Wales, and it's WG's long term aim for TfW to at least coordinate the running of all bus and train services in Wales to allow for the kind of integrated public transport network Wales desperately needs.
About a year ago, I checked out places with infrequent train / bus services and found several places where it appeared that no attempt had been made to match services. In the south east Wales area Llantwit Major comes to mind regarding buses to St. Donats etc. At Cwmbran, the Manchester south Wales trains tended to pass (almost) when serving this station - which would be the best* interchange for buses to Pontypool and the eastern valley to Blaenavon/ Big Pit. So, no attempt to match trains here and the local bus operator - Phil Anslow - did not even list Cwmbran station on his schedules - just a nearby road which most non locals would not have known was near the rail station. Stagecoach is another operator in this area that appears not to match with trains at Cwmbran at this time. * Pontyool & New Inn Station is nearer to Pontypool but fewer trains call as this route only has long distance trains. I welcome the fact that a new P&R car park is being built at this station with a direct link to the A4042. Hopefully somebody in WG will direct a bus company to run a service from Usk to this station which could continue to Pontypool? Pontyclun is another station which had a poor match between local buses and trains.
Looking further afield in Wales, Haverfordwest comes to mind with 1 train every other hour and infrequent buses going SW to Marloes and NW to St. David’s. (I actually contacted the St. David’s bus operator and he said that they had to match school times). So, a perhaps slight tweak of school times could mean that people arriving in Haverfordwest on one of the few trains could actually get a bus westwards to Newgale, Solva & St. David’s? Fishguard also comes to mind with buses not matching the trains and in NE Wales - Chirk.
So, let us hope that the WG will now get to work and try and get more co-ordination between the trains and the local buses along with integrated fares. (I have seen staff from the St.Fagans Museum having to walk all the way from Waungron Park station to St. Fagans because the trains were arriving just as the 32A bus left and they would have to pay again a full fare for the 2 mile bus ride).
It has now been clarified what the plans are for Waungron Park on the City Line. Incredibly they still plan to have a bus station but ALSO a block of council flats. So, new residents will have fumes from all the road traffic plus the buses coming and going - assuming that they still use diesel. Well at least the trains will be electric! Just how low will Cardiff Council go to ram in accommodation on unsuitable sites? As I said earlier, this is no place for humans to live. The Welsh Government speak with one tongue regarding air pollution and make everyone crawl along the M4 and A470 yet they must have been consulted on this and think it is a good idea.
Here are the details and buried amongst the Transport Statement is this:>
geraintjohnplanning.co.uk
3.2.12The bus stops provided as part of phase 2 will accommodate a maximum of 21 buses in the AM peak and 19 in the PM peak. With the addition of bus routes 17 (12 buses) and 18 (12 buses) diverted via the interchange, there will be an additional 20-24 buses, increasing the total two- way operation to a maximum of approximately 40-45 buses per hour (one bus arriving approximately every 1.3 minutes). It should be noted that there is likely to be 25 buses travelling northbound (one bus approx. every 2.5 minutes) and 20 buses travelling southbound (one bus every 3 minutes). Assuming that each stop can accommodate 8-10 services per hour, the proposed provision of five bus stop bays will be sufficient.
Media Wales report :>
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/plans-revealed-new-bus-station-19747288
