At short notice, the Welsh Government is slashing its support for bus operators – the story and reaction to it by a large operator are here: http://waleshome.org/2012/02/the-minister-is-on-the-wrong-bus/ At the annual community plan seminar sponsored by the Local Service Board in Port Talbot yesterday, the Chief Executive expressed his fears for the future of subsidised bus services in the county borough as a result. (More on the seminar when I have had a chance to report back to the community council, I hope.)

This comes days after speculation in the Western Mail that rail services west of Cardiff will be further reduced when First Group gives up its Great Western franchise in April next year.

Surely both the Labour government in Cardiff and the Conservative transport minister in Whitehall have their priorities wrong in continuing to favour road construction over getting more out of our existing public transport infrastructure. Certainly, road-building creates jobs, but at £30million per mile (Highways Agency 2011 estimate) of motorway, very expensive ones. Weigh against that the incentive to young people to look outside their local communities to take up jobs if they have regular and reasonably-priced transport links. There is an urgent need to get young people into the habit of work.

As it stands, there is a possibility that some valleys in the county borough may not have a bus service at all after April. So far, Cadoxton and the Dulais Valley have done relatively well compared to some other parts, but it seems we may have to fight against a reduction in service here, too.

   Leave a comment