Leader of the Welsh Conservatives and Clwyd West MS Darren Millar has written to the CEO of Transport for Wales (TfW) calling for the late-night bus service though Llandegla village to be reinstated.
Darren has been contacted by Llandegla Community Council and residents regarding changes to the T51 bus service which serves the village.
The Community Council have said that with no service now running after 8pm, villagers who rely on public transport are unable to access facilities outside of the village.
They have stated: “Anyone wishing to eat at a restaurant, attend sports events, visit the cinema, and so on must now either own a vehicle of their own, rely on lifts from others, or pay for a taxi. For many, this functionally gives them an early curfew, after which they are confined to the village. Whether those affected are teenagers, elderly, or simply cannot afford a car, they are cut off from any event that would continue beyond the early evening. This loss of independence and wider community can be devastating to people”.
Changes to the T51 service is also causing problems for residents of St Asaph, with it having been re-routed through the Business Park and no longer going through the city itself.
Further, Darren has been contacted by a resident in Llanrhaeadr who has expressed concern over the changes to the T51 service affecting Denbigh-Wrexham, calling the reduction in the Monday to Saturday service a “disgrace”.
Commenting on the Llandegla situation, Darren said:
“It is deeply concerning that this vital service has been removed, leaving night-shift workers, young people and older residents in Llandegla stranded.
“For many, this isn’t about convenience, it’s their only safe and affordable way to get home after dark.
“Given that the Community Council and residents within the village have expressed deep concerns over the elimination of the late-night service, I have sent an email to the Chief Executive of Transport for Wales outlining all the concerns raised and called for a review of the timetable and the re-instatement of this vital service.”
The impact the changes to the service are having on residents in St Asaph was raised in the Senedd Chamber on Tuesday by Vale of Clwyd MS Gareth Davies, who urged TfW to investigate the matter as a priority and “get people in St Asaph moving again”.
Darren added:
“Public transport should connect people, not abandon them.
“I hope TfW listen to the concerns of the public and immediately review the changes made to the T51 service so that people in Llandegla, Denbigh, Llanrhaeadr and St Asaph have a bus service they can rely on.”
Cllr Terry Mendies said:
“I am extremely disappointed that the late-night service in Llandegla has been scrapped. It took six months to get this bus reinstated after it was cancelled by Arriva and now, they are reducing the service.
“This bus service is an absolute lifeline to the village and having no service after 8pm will affect the late night industry and shift-workers in particular.
“The decision to cut this service fails the very people public transport is meant to serve.”
