Transport for Wales Criticized for Changing Bus Route Without Consultation

Transport for Wales has come under fire after a bus route was changed ‘without consultation’.
Cllr Gwyneth Ellis criticised Welsh Government owned TfW after they changed the T3 Barmouth to Wrexham bus service route to a new T3C route.
The Edeirnion councillor claims students from Denbighshire villages attending Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor in Dolgellau will now be forced to travel to and from Corwen for connecting buses, rather than directly.
Cllr Ellis, who is also the cabinet member for finance, says the decision will especially inconvenience students travelling to and from villages such as Cynwyd, Llandrillo, or Llandderfel.
The Plaid Cymru councillor says she is disappointed locals were not consulted.
“Lots of people in the villages are unhappy. My main concern is for the students in the college. There is no direct bus back from the college site at Dollgellau to Cynwyd, Llandrillo, or Llandderfel,” said Cllr Ellis.
“Basically they will have to take the bus to Corwen, wait, and then have to catch the bus back from Corwen down to the villages. I think that is unfair on students.
“At the end of their day at college, they don’t want to go all the way to Corwen and wait for a bus to come back. They just want to go home.”
She added, “It is a shame Transport for Wales didn’t do more consultation. As far as I’m aware or that I’ve been able to find out, Transport for Wales have done this without any consultation.
“Generally people are very much against it. It has been introduced without any consultation or explanation. Lots of students are just worried they are not going to be able to get home.
“It is not well thought out. The A494 from Bala to Corwen gets really busy, especially when the weather is nice. Bala is a very popular destination. So I don’t think they will save the time that they hoped they were going to save. I feel it has been imposed on people, rather than a consultation.”
Transport for Wales were contacted for a comment.

By Richard Evans – Local Democracy Reporter