Blow to Pendine bus services
Some bus services operating between Carmarthen and Pendine and possibly Llanybri are to be lost.
A bus company is withdrawing some services and the council has been unable to attract tenderers for some service runs without incurring potential subsidies of more than £14 a passenger.
The council has committed itself to running the coastal service in the summer to assist the tourism drive but insist the ‘use it or lose it’ mantra will be adopted because of the unsustainable costs of a poorly used service.
Ffoshelig Coaches withdrawing from commercially operated journeys with effect from Sunday, February 20th .
Carmarthenshire council currently subsidises certain journeys on these services 222 (Carmarthen – Pendine) and 227 (Carmarthen – Llanybri).
Whilst most daytime journeys on these routes are operated commercially by Ffoshelig Coaches, the early morning and evening journeys receive a subsidy from the Authority. The Sunday service is also subsidised.
Ffoshelig Coaches has informed the Authority of their intention to withdraw from the commercial journeys. Taf Valley Coaches will be taking over the service, also on a commercial basis, with a different timetable.
Ffoshelig Coaches has also informed the Authority of their intention to withdraw from the contract to provide the following journeys with effect from Sunday 13th March 2011:
• Service 222, 0630 Pendine to Carmarthen (Monday to Saturday)
• Service 222, 2005 Glangwili/Carmarthen to Pendine (Friday & Saturday)
• Service 227, 1915 Carmarthen to Llanybri + return (Monday to Saturday)
• Service 222, entire Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday service
• Service 227, entire Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday service
County executive board member for Transport services Cllr Philip Hughes said: “Usage on these journeys is reasonably low. Local operators have been invited to provide quotations for their replacement. However, in view of budgetary constraints the authority’s ability to replace any or all of these journeys is be dependant on the prices received and a subsequent ‘value for money’ analysis of the journeys involved which the following information indicates:”
Service 222, 0630 Pendine to Carmarthen (Monday to Saturday)
Current subsidy is £33.66 per day, average patronage 11 passenger journeys per day (subsidy per passenger journey of £3.06). One tender only received, at £75.00 per day. This would equate to a subsidy per passenger of £6.82, which is a significant increase and cannot be justified. The journey will therefore not be provided.
Service 222, 2005 Glangwili/Carmarthen to Pendine (Friday & Saturday)
No tenderers
Service 227, 1915 Carmarthen to Llanybri + return (Monday to Saturday)
Current subsidy is £24.00 per day, average patronage of seven passenger journeys per day (subsidy per passenger journey of £3.43). One tender only received, at £100.00 per day. This would equate to a subsidy per passenger of £14.29, which is a significant increase and cannot be justified. The journeys will therefore not be provided.
Services 222 and 227, entire Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday service
Current subsidy is £260.00 per day, average patronage 65 passenger journeys per day (subsidy per passenger journey of £4.00). One tender only received, at £290.00 per day. This would equate to a subsidy per passenger of £4.46.
Cllr Hughes said: “The previous subsidy was relatively high for the number of passengers travelling, however the Authority is aware of the limited bus network available in the Carmarthen area on Sundays.
“We have made every attempt to continue this service for as long as possible because of the desire to provide a service during the summer to cater for the local and visitor leisure/tourism market. The service has been operating on a short-term basis whilst the number of users has been closely monitored.
“We intend to continue operating this service for the summer 2011 period, at the slightly increased tender price. Patronage during the summer will again be monitored closely. Unless there is a significant increase in usage during the coming summer, and/or the Authority is able to agree with the tenderer to reduce the daily rate in the long term, it is likely that the service will be withdrawn from October 2011.”
A bus company is withdrawing some services and the council has been unable to attract tenderers for some service runs without incurring potential subsidies of more than £14 a passenger.
The council has committed itself to running the coastal service in the summer to assist the tourism drive but insist the ‘use it or lose it’ mantra will be adopted because of the unsustainable costs of a poorly used service.
Ffoshelig Coaches withdrawing from commercially operated journeys with effect from Sunday, February 20th .
Carmarthenshire council currently subsidises certain journeys on these services 222 (Carmarthen – Pendine) and 227 (Carmarthen – Llanybri).
Whilst most daytime journeys on these routes are operated commercially by Ffoshelig Coaches, the early morning and evening journeys receive a subsidy from the Authority. The Sunday service is also subsidised.
Ffoshelig Coaches has informed the Authority of their intention to withdraw from the commercial journeys. Taf Valley Coaches will be taking over the service, also on a commercial basis, with a different timetable.
Ffoshelig Coaches has also informed the Authority of their intention to withdraw from the contract to provide the following journeys with effect from Sunday 13th March 2011:
• Service 222, 0630 Pendine to Carmarthen (Monday to Saturday)
• Service 222, 2005 Glangwili/Carmarthen to Pendine (Friday & Saturday)
• Service 227, 1915 Carmarthen to Llanybri + return (Monday to Saturday)
• Service 222, entire Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday service
• Service 227, entire Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday service
County executive board member for Transport services Cllr Philip Hughes said: “Usage on these journeys is reasonably low. Local operators have been invited to provide quotations for their replacement. However, in view of budgetary constraints the authority’s ability to replace any or all of these journeys is be dependant on the prices received and a subsequent ‘value for money’ analysis of the journeys involved which the following information indicates:”
Service 222, 0630 Pendine to Carmarthen (Monday to Saturday)
Current subsidy is £33.66 per day, average patronage 11 passenger journeys per day (subsidy per passenger journey of £3.06). One tender only received, at £75.00 per day. This would equate to a subsidy per passenger of £6.82, which is a significant increase and cannot be justified. The journey will therefore not be provided.
Service 222, 2005 Glangwili/Carmarthen to Pendine (Friday & Saturday)
No tenderers
Service 227, 1915 Carmarthen to Llanybri + return (Monday to Saturday)
Current subsidy is £24.00 per day, average patronage of seven passenger journeys per day (subsidy per passenger journey of £3.43). One tender only received, at £100.00 per day. This would equate to a subsidy per passenger of £14.29, which is a significant increase and cannot be justified. The journeys will therefore not be provided.
Services 222 and 227, entire Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday service
Current subsidy is £260.00 per day, average patronage 65 passenger journeys per day (subsidy per passenger journey of £4.00). One tender only received, at £290.00 per day. This would equate to a subsidy per passenger of £4.46.
Cllr Hughes said: “The previous subsidy was relatively high for the number of passengers travelling, however the Authority is aware of the limited bus network available in the Carmarthen area on Sundays.
“We have made every attempt to continue this service for as long as possible because of the desire to provide a service during the summer to cater for the local and visitor leisure/tourism market. The service has been operating on a short-term basis whilst the number of users has been closely monitored.
“We intend to continue operating this service for the summer 2011 period, at the slightly increased tender price. Patronage during the summer will again be monitored closely. Unless there is a significant increase in usage during the coming summer, and/or the Authority is able to agree with the tenderer to reduce the daily rate in the long term, it is likely that the service will be withdrawn from October 2011.”
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