Free Weekend Bus Travel Across Wales

[Envoy]

The Welsh Government have just announced free weekend bus travel on routes across Wales. http://gov.wales/newsroom/transport/2017/170706-free-weekend-bus-travel-across-wales/?lang=en

The pilot, which will apply to all buses on the extensive TrawsCymru network, will begin on Saturday 8 July and run every weekend until at least May 2018. It’s hoped the scheme will act as a catalyst for bus travel in Wales, boosting not only the number of passengers but also wider use of the TrawsCymru routes.

Surely, the buses will be swamped with people looking for a free ride? How much will it hit ATW income?

 

[Essan]

This is only on the 6 TrawsCymru cross country routes - which tend to compliment rather compete with ATW.

http://www.trawscymru.info/routes/

I think it's mainly going to appeal to holidaymakers and, especially, walkers.

 

[Gareth Marston]

The Welsh Government have just announced free weekend bus travel on routes across Wales. http://gov.wales/newsroom/transport/2017/170706-free-weekend-bus-travel-across-wales/?lang=en


Surely, the buses will be swamped with people looking for a free ride? How much will it hit ATW income?

Not at all as Trawscambria buses run along the route of lines that have been closed.

 

[northwichcat]

So it'll probably boost ATW's income as, for instance, instead of having to buy a rail ticket to Wrexham and a bus ticket the journey will just be the price of the rail ticket, making it more attractive.

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Are they planning on operating additional vehicles to meet any increased demand or will it be a first come first served basis ?

 

[richw]

Are they planning on operating additional vehicles to meet any increased demand or will it be a first come first served basis ?

They have set aside a fund to provide additional vehicles if it proves a success, as well as a fund to compensate other operators if it causes them a loss of income

 

[Envoy]

Surely, if it is a success, they can’t just rustle up additional vehicles for weekends only and then have them sitting around for 5 days?

 

[richw]

The welsh government have a fund set aside, so they obviously think so. If it impresses people for free, they may well be converted in the week to bus travel and payments.

 

[6Gman]

Surely, if it is a success, they can’t just rustle up additional vehicles for weekends only and then have them sitting around for 5 days?

School buses?

 

[30907]

I wonder how well loaded these services are on Saturdays? At a quick glance, the Saturday service is as SX (when loadings are typically higher), so I wonder if WAG are trying to fill half empty vehicles.

I'm not a frequent TC user so happy to be corrected.

 

[Envoy]

From Bangor to Cardiff, Fishguard to Wrexham I hope to see this scheme provide the perfect excuse for people from across Wales and beyond to jump on the bus and spend their weekends enjoying the diverse beauty of Wales.

The TrawsCymru network covers large areas of Wales, some of which would otherwise be inaccessible by public transport and, with the summer tourist season around the corner, I’m excited about the impact increased passengers could have on tourism in these areas in particular.

– KEN SKATES AM, ECONOMY AND INFRASTRUCTURE SECRETAR

ITV Wales news report on the deal:>http://www.itv.com/news/wales/2017-07-06/free-weekend-bus-travel-pilot-across-wales-launched/

 

[topydre]

It's brilliant; I've always been a supporter of free public transport

The side effect today was overcrowding: the usually quiet T5 was full and standing with 30+ passengers; and another bus had to be rostered up to pick up additional passengers.

What this experiment is likely to do is give an indication of how much suppressed demand there is - how many people could be tempted out of their cars. A positive result will increase the case for more subsidy of public transport in general.

The only part of the railway that could potentially be hit is Aberystwyth-Machynlleth-Pwllheli, which has the T2 meeting it at 3 points (4 if Bow St station opens), but the bus was cheaper than the train on these routes anyway.

 

[Envoy]

It's brilliant; I've always been a supporter of free public transport

The side effect today was overcrowding: the usually quiet T5 was full and standing with 30+ passengers; and another bus had to be rostered up to pick up additional passengers.

What this experiment is likely to do is give an indication of how much suppressed demand there is - how many people could be tempted out of their cars. A positive result will increase the case for more subsidy of public transport in general.

The only part of the railway that could potentially be hit is Aberystwyth-Machynlleth-Pwllheli, which has the T2 meeting it at 3 points (4 if Bow St station opens), but the bus was cheaper than the train on these routes anyway.

What about the route T4 from Newtown down to Cardiff? That could also reduce travel by train. Could we not also see passengers join the bus at Merthyr to go down to Cardiff and thus not use the Valley Line train service?

What worries me is that we could long distance passengers coming down from mid Wales to Cardiff. When the time comes to make a return journey, we could find that passengers only bound for Merthyr board the bus first with the result that people heading for mid Wales can’t get on board.

 

[northwichcat]

as well as a fund to compensate other operators if it causes them a loss of income

Could that be rather controversial? For example, if route 1 is commercial and competes with route 2 and the operator of route 1 claims they've been affected, are they then getting a public subsidy if they get compensation when there's an alternative bus service (which would be illegal)?

 

[northwichcat]

School buses?

I'm not sure about in Wales but in England there's an increasing number of weekday bus services which get no service/reduced frequency on weekdays at the times when school/college bus services run so the operator can take on the school/college contract without needing any additional vehicles. As an example: http://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/pdf/public-transport/289-bus-timetable-leaflet-4th-september-2016.pdf

 

[Martin S Heron]

Yay! Coming over from Ireland to meet friends in Aberystwyth for the England v Wales game in the 6 Nations next year. Free bus from Fishgua

 

[Gareth Marston]

What about the route T4 from Newtown down to Cardiff? That could also reduce travel by train. Could we not also see passengers join the bus at Merthyr to go down to Cardiff and thus not use the Valley Line train service?

What worries me is that we could long distance passengers coming down from mid Wales to Cardiff. When the time comes to make a return journey, we could find that passengers only bound for Merthyr board the bus first with the result that people heading for mid Wales can’t get on board.

Given that you have to leave Cardiff as early as 1430 to get back to Newtown the service is very unattractive to all but a few. Loadings are always single figures between Newtown and Llandrindod Wells. When they stopped running it to Newtown railway station they lost all the traffic to Cefn Lea Caraven park that comes by train.

South of Brecon its another story it always seems to be full of pensioners having a day out.