Minister announces expansion of Bwcabus
Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones visited Carmarthen to announce the expansion of Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion’s award-winning Bwcabus service.
The service, which provides on-demand transport for people living in rural parts of the Teifi Valley, will expand later this year to the surrounding areas of Lampeter, Llanybydder, Felinfach and Llangeithio.
The Deputy First Minister said: “We are announcing the extension of the Bwcabus service into new areas of the Teifi Valley in both Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.
“It is revolutionising public transport in rural west Wales – helping people to access key services, travel to work and take up training and other educational opportunities – which is an important asset to these communities in these tough economic times.
“It’s already carried over 10,000 passengers, three months ahead of schedule – helping increase use of public transport in the area by more than 40 per cent.”
Service user Adeline McGill Brown, of Rhydowen, said: “Bwcabus has been a lifeline for me, as I don’t drive and have no other means of attending doctor’s appointments. I use it two or three times a week, and it has really opened up new horizons for me.
“To hear that the service is being expanded is wonderful news.”
Bwcabus was launched in August 2009 with almost £500,000 from the EU’s Convergence European Development Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government to help transform transport in the Teifi Valley.
It is run in partnership by Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion county councils, Traveline Cymru and the University of Glamorgan, and is aimed at improving access to key services for rural communities, as well as addressing the decline in the use of rural bus services and providing more flexible public transport to areas with limited or no bus provision.
It has won three prestigious awards – two from Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Cymru and another from the National Transport Awards where it beat off UK-wide competition to scoop the Most Innovative Transport Project.
Cllr Philip Hughes, Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member for transport services, said: ”People are not only using Bwcabus to get to the shops, doctor’s surgeries or hospitals but crucially to link up with other transport services to get to work.
“Today’s announcement will benefit many more people living in rural parts of west Wales, and will make a huge difference to the lives of many people who would otherwise have no means of transport.”
Bwcabus team members will consult with the communities included in the expansion in the coming months, when further information will be made available.
Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones announces the expansion of the award-winning Bwcabus service in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. He is pictured with Nerys Evans AM, Cllr Philip Hughes, Carmarthenshire’s Executive Board Member for transport, and Cllr Ifan Davies of Ceredigion County Council. Pic Jeff Connell
The service, which provides on-demand transport for people living in rural parts of the Teifi Valley, will expand later this year to the surrounding areas of Lampeter, Llanybydder, Felinfach and Llangeithio.
The Deputy First Minister said: “We are announcing the extension of the Bwcabus service into new areas of the Teifi Valley in both Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.
“It is revolutionising public transport in rural west Wales – helping people to access key services, travel to work and take up training and other educational opportunities – which is an important asset to these communities in these tough economic times.
“It’s already carried over 10,000 passengers, three months ahead of schedule – helping increase use of public transport in the area by more than 40 per cent.”
Service user Adeline McGill Brown, of Rhydowen, said: “Bwcabus has been a lifeline for me, as I don’t drive and have no other means of attending doctor’s appointments. I use it two or three times a week, and it has really opened up new horizons for me.
“To hear that the service is being expanded is wonderful news.”
Bwcabus was launched in August 2009 with almost £500,000 from the EU’s Convergence European Development Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government to help transform transport in the Teifi Valley.
It is run in partnership by Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion county councils, Traveline Cymru and the University of Glamorgan, and is aimed at improving access to key services for rural communities, as well as addressing the decline in the use of rural bus services and providing more flexible public transport to areas with limited or no bus provision.
It has won three prestigious awards – two from Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Cymru and another from the National Transport Awards where it beat off UK-wide competition to scoop the Most Innovative Transport Project.
Cllr Philip Hughes, Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member for transport services, said: ”People are not only using Bwcabus to get to the shops, doctor’s surgeries or hospitals but crucially to link up with other transport services to get to work.
“Today’s announcement will benefit many more people living in rural parts of west Wales, and will make a huge difference to the lives of many people who would otherwise have no means of transport.”
Bwcabus team members will consult with the communities included in the expansion in the coming months, when further information will be made available.
Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones announces the expansion of the award-winning Bwcabus service in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. He is pictured with Nerys Evans AM, Cllr Philip Hughes, Carmarthenshire’s Executive Board Member for transport, and Cllr Ifan Davies of Ceredigion County Council. Pic Jeff Connell
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