Pembrokeshire bus services face the axe after funding cut (From Western Telegraph)

Pembrokeshire bus services face the axe after funding cut

11:43am Wednesday 22nd August 2012 in News Exclusive By Elizaveta Young

A Series of Pembrokeshire bus services face the axe, it has been revealed.

A 27% cut to the local transport services grant, paid to Pembrokeshire County Council, means that 17 evening and Sunday services may be stopped by operators at the end of September.

The Welsh Government grant provides funding for the county council to finance a range of transport initiatives, including funding for bus services.

Although alternative bus and rail services are available to replace some routes, the withdrawal of some services may leave several areas without any public transport on Sundays.

These include the 411 Fishguard-St Davids-Haverfordwest and the 412 Cardigan-Fishguard-Haverfordwest services.

Subsidies for the Sunday summer services including the Coastal Cruiser, Puffin Shuttle, Celtic Coaster, Strumble Shuttle and Poppit Rocket, have also been withdrawn by the county council.

The only service that will continue to run without subsidy is the 362 Pembroke Dock-Pennar-Pembroke CS School.

Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman Len Mullins said: "This cut invariably has an effect on bus services in the county and funding for a number of routes is proposed to be removed. These are mainly Sunday services with a history of low patronage.

"Bus operators will have to make a commercial decision on the future of the services they provide," he added.

A local bus driver, who didn’t want to be named, said: "Cutting the Sunday service would mean that I will lose 38 to 40 hours work per month, which is a week’s work.

"Not only that, places in Pembrokeshire that have no alternative train service will be left without any public transport on Sundays at all.

"People use the service to go to work on a Sunday, or go on the coastal path. It will make a big difference to a lot of people."

Proposed local bus route withdrawals:

302 Hubberston-Milford Haven-Haverfordwest, withdraw subsidy for evening service, affects 22.00 and 22.39 service only.
302 Hubberston-Milford Haven-Haverfordwest, withdraw subsidy for Sunday service, alternative rail service exists.
315 Dale-Milford-Haverfordwest, withdraw subsidy for Sunday (summer only) service.
319 Hubberston-Milford Haven CS School, withdraw subsidy for service, alternative services exist.
341 Hayscastle-Hwest Market Day bus, withdraw subsidy for service, alternative services exist on other days.
349 Tenby-Pembroke-Haverfordwest, withdraw subsidy for Sunday (summer only) service, alternative rail service exists for part of route.
350 Tenby-Amroth withdraw subsidy for Sunday (summer only) service.
358 Tenby CS School-Penally, withdraw subsidy for service, alternative services exist.
362 Pembroke Dock-Pennar-Pembroke CS School, withdraw subsidy for service, bus operator to continue without subsidy.
381 Tenby-Narberth-Hwest, withdraw subsidy for Sunday service, alternative rail service exists for part of route.
387/388 Coastal Cruiser, withdraw subsidy for Sunday (summer only) service.
400 Puffin Shuttle, withdraw subsidy for Sunday (summer only) service.
403 Celtic Coaster, withdraw subsidy for Sunday (summer only) service.
404 Strumble Shuttle, withdraw subsidy for Sunday (summer only) service.
405 Poppit Rocket, withdraw subsidy for Sunday (summer only) service.
411 Fishguard-StDavid's-Haverfordwest, withdraw subsidy for Sunday service.
412 Cardigan-Fishguard-Haverfordwest, withdraw subsidy for Sunday service.
431 Pentre Galar-Cardigan via outlying villages, withdraw subsidy for service, alternative services exist on other days.