A FAMILY-run bus company that provided a prompt and popular service in Pembrokeshire for the last eight years says it was ‘sorry and disappointed’ to run its final routes this weekend.

Bysiau Cwm Taf/ Taf Valley Coaches has been running the 322 Haverfordwest to Carmarthen service, the X22 and X61 services which provided journeys at the start and end of the day between Pembroke Dock and Kilgetty, and Pembroke Dock and Haverfordwest and the 381 Tenby-Narberth- Haverfordwest services.

It ran the routes for the last time yesterday, Saturday, March 30.

As part of new changes to bus services throughout the county, the X22 and X61 services are to be withdrawn. The 322 and 381- services will be run by First Cymru from next week.

The 322 timetable will remain the same. The 381 timetable will remain the same from Haverfordwest to Tenby but journeys from Tenby to Haverfordwest will depart slightly earlier (37 past the hour instead of 45).

The news has been met with disappointment both by the company and its customers.

“We are very sorry and disappointed to say that we were unsuccessful in retaining these routes on the last round of tendering process with Pembrokeshire County Council,” said a spokesperson for the company.

“We have built up services 322 & 381 over the past seven to eight years and we are very proud to have provided a service achieving a 98 per cent punctuality rating.”

The company thanked all its customers for their support and patronage over the years.

“We are very grateful for your kind comments over the past few weeks after losing these contracts,” said the statement.

It also thanked staff for their hard work and dedication which has allowed the company to provide the service that it did.

“We hope that our successor can maintain the high standards that we provided to the general public of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and the many tourists who visit the area.

"Diolch i chi gyd! Thank you all,” it concluded.

The news has been met by disappointed customers praising the company for its exemplary service.

“Taf Valley Coaches really are the bees knees, the genuine article in every way and a beacon company to others in the industry,” said one user. “Pembrokeshire’s loss undoubtedly.”

Another said: “I used the X22 service to get to work (P Dock to Neyland) every morning, always punctual, buses always clean and pleasant, polite drivers.”

Other bus users added ‘always brilliant drivers and first class service’, ‘a lovely set of drivers we will miss you all’ and ‘Taf Valley Coaches are all immaculate and never late’.

The changes come as part of a major shake up of the county’s bus services due to funding changes.

From April 2024, the funding which has been provided directly to bus operators by the Welsh Government to keep services going in the wake of the Covid pandemic will cease.

Additional funding will instead be provided to Local Authorities to support their local bus network.

In total, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government will provide over £3million in support for bus services in Pembrokeshire during the coming year.

As part of this process, all Pembrokeshire’s local bus services have been re-tendered resulting in the changes.