TrawsCymru
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 TrawsCymru Logo | |
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| Parent | Transport for Wales |
|---|---|
| Commenced operation | 24th September 2012 |
| Service area | Wales |
| Service type | Long-distance bus services |
| Routes | 16 |
| Fuel type | Diesel Electric |
| Operator | Arriva Buses Wales Adventure Travel First Cymru Newport Bus Lloyds Coaches Llew Jones K&P Coaches M&H Coaches Celtic Travel Williams Coaches Mid Wales Travel Richards Brothers |
| Website | www |
TrawsCymru is a network of regional long-distance bus services in Wales. The brand was introduced by the Welsh Government to improve cross-country public transport links and to replace the earlier TrawsCambria network. Services operate on key strategic routes, with the network now managed by Transport for Wales.[1]
TrawsCymru routes operate over longer distances than conventional local bus services, linking key settlements and providing connections where rail routes are limited or indirect. Services typicallyconnect with local bus networks and railway stations. The network aims to support economic development, improve accessibility, and encourage sustainable travel across Wales.[2]
History
Launch plans
In 2010, the Welsh Assembly ran a consultation on improvements to the existing TrawsCambria network.[3] In 2011, a programme of improvements for TrawsCambria services X40 (Carmarthen - Pencader - Lampeter - Aberaeron - Aberystwyth) and 704/T4 (Newtown - Brecon/Merthyr) was announced.[4]
Under these plans services T4 & X40 and T4, and the network as a whole, were to be re-launched under the new TrawsCymru brand. Service X40 was to be re-numbered TC1 and T4 would have become TC4, along with extension south to Cardiff. During 2012, these two routes were to receive new Optare Tempos equipped with coach style seating, greater luggage space, real time information and WiFi.[5]
The plans for re-numbering T4 were dropped, but the new vehicles and extension to Cardiff were introduced. The six additional WAG-funded Optare Tempos with leather seats, free WiFi and tables operate alongside the existing three Optare Tempos that had previously worked the T4 service.[6]
The X40 was originally scheduled to be replaced by TrawsCymru service T1/TC1 from 1 April 2012 [7] under a contract until 31 March 2020 on offer. However it later emerged that Arriva Buses Wales intended to stop operating the X40 service, along with its share of route 550, from 26 February.[8] Instead Arriva introduced services branded Cymru Express on a fully commercial basis in place of the former TrawsCambria X40.
Change of plan
Because of the commercial CymruExpress, the TC1 TrawsCymru service could not be introduced. The six new buses that had been ordered to operate the TC1 were thus placed into store. These were longer than the new vehicles for the TC4, so were later taken out of storage and put to use on the T4 service, to increase capacity. They replaced three of the vehicles that had been ordered for the TC4, which joined the remaining three unused vehicles which had been intended for the TC1 in store. In August 2013, the Welsh Government launched an express bus service between Cardiff Central station and Cardiff Airport. This was branded as a TrawsCymru route, given the number T9. Five of the six TrawsCymru buses were taken out of storage to operate this service, later being joined by the sixth.
Arriva's CymruExpress services ceased on 21 December 2013, meaning a TrawsCymru service between Aberystwyth and Carmarthen was once again a possibility. Interim contracts to continue bus services on the route were let pending the introduction of a TrawsCymru service.
Review
In July 2013, it emerged that Welsh Transport Minister, Edwina Hart, had commissioned a review of the TrawsCymru network. This was to be undertaken by Director of the Bevan Foundation, Dr Victoria Winckler.[9]
This outcome of this review was published by in February 2014, defining the purpose of TrawsCymru as a network of medium-to-long-distance (defined as 25 miles or more), strategically important bus services that connect key towns in Wales – complementing the rail network.[10]
The report's recommendations included:
- TrawsCymru requires a strategic, all-Wales, approach. Currently, TrawsCymru contracts are let by four different local authorities and this approach was considered too fragmented.
- That the implementation of any new corridors should be based on robust business plans which demonstrate demand and provide for a package of measures to improve the passenger journey.
- TrawsCymru should complement the rail network and not seek to compete with rail services. Where justified by demand, it should provide good connections to onward rail services, but it should not be driven by or secondary to the rail network.
- Service quality provision:
- TrawsCymru services should serve intermediate bus stops as well as main towns, but should avoid detours.
- The impact of intermediate stops/detours should increase the journey duration by no more than 50% longer than by car, and ideally less (around 33% being preferable).
- TrawsCymru should promote and accept CymruConnect (rail and bus combined) through-tickets, and action should be taken to improve the profile and performance of CymruConnect.
- TrawsCymru services need to address passenger facilities at bus stations and passenger information, which are part of responding to passenger needs.
- Focus of effort in the short term should be on completing the rebrand of the five core TrawsCymru routes (T1 to T5) from TrawsCambria, rather than expansion of the TrawsCymru network to new routes
- The TrawsCymru strategic board should focus on strategic issues with corridor delivery groups dealing with operational matters, on a formal basis. Both groups should have strengthened user representation.
2014 & 2015 launches
During 2014, the roll-out of the TrawsCymru brand to the other TrawsCambria corridors finally began. The first route to appear was the Carmarthen-Aberystwyth route, but the original plan for the service to become known as TC1 has been dropped. The TrawsCymru service was instead launched under the service number T1, in August 2014. Unlike the T4 and T9 TrawsCymru contracts, the operator provides vehicles for the T1, rather than using vehicles owned by the Welsh Government. It remains to be seen how the vehicles used will compare to the Welsh Government owned ones on the other routes.
Invitations To Tender were also published for the remaining three TrawsCambria routes X50 (Aberystwyth-Cardigan), T2 (Bangor-Aberystwyth) and X94 (Wrexham-Barmouth), to be known as T5, T2 and T3 respectively. The X94 became the T3 in November 2014, and the X50 the T5 in January 2015.[11][12] The T2 contract was expected to start in 2014, but due to last minute registrations of commercial workings by the incumbent operators ended up being let as a short term extension without TrawsCymru branding. In November 2015, the T2 was finally launched with branded buses in due course. Lloyds Coaches have ordered three Optare MetroCitys with the first two due in January 2016 and the third due in March 2016.
