City bus services to be restored and routes added
CARDIFF Bus has announced changes to its bus service after multiple changes last year angered its passengers. The end of this month will see changes to services, including reintroducing previously reduced services, updated timetables and new routes.
In August, Cardiff Bus received backlash from passengers in Cardiff after it announced massive changes to its timetables as well as cutting popular services. Residents will be glad to know that the changes being implemented from March 31 do not include cuts, but rather new services and the return of old bus routes.
Cardiff Bus wrote: “A boost in funding that the Welsh Government provides to local councils for supported bus routes means routes will be changed or new routes introduced to provide a service to an area where it would not be viable. We’ve also added more trips at busy times, as we are welcoming more customers aboard.”
These new services have been added, some replacing other companies’:
1A & 2A (Wentloog Business Park - Ocean Way - Cardiff City Centre): Will be replacing number 10 operated by New Adventure Travel.
32 (St Fagans (National Museum of History) - Fairwater - Canton Cardiff City Centre): New service Mondays to Saturdays.
136 (Creigiau - Pentyrch Whitchurch - Cardiff City Centre): Will be replacing this instead of Stagecoach with timetable changes.
305 (Dinas Powys - Llandough Penarth Marina - Cardiff Bay Cardiff City Centre): Will be operating this instead of New Adventure Travel.
These services will have added trips: 9 (Sports Village - Grangetown - Cardiff City Centre - Cathays Heath Hospital) 44 & 45 (St Mellons - Newport Road - Cardiff City Centre) 92, 93 & 94 (Barry Penarth - Cardiff City Centre) 101 & 102 (Pentrebane - Llandaff - Heath Hospital - Cyncoed - Penylan Llanrumney & St Mellons) B1 & B2 (Barry Town Services).
These are all the other changes: 1,2 & 3 (City Circle): Minor changes to timetable with 1A & 2A replacing service 3.7 (Ferry Road - Channel View - Grangetown - Cardiff City Centre): A new timetable, starting from Cardiff Bay Asda, service Channel View and then Avondale Road and Corporation Street, in co-ordination with service 8 providing a bus every 30 minutes from Corporation Street. This service will no longer serve Penarth and Llandough, with similar connections available on service 305 instead. 8 (Cardiff Bay Grangetown - City Centre): New timetable 11 (Wentloog Business Park - Pengam Green - Tremorfa Cardiff City Centre ): The 15:40 from Cardiff City Centre will terminate at Wentloog Business Park instead of Pengam Green, and the 16:20 from Pengam Green will instead start from Wentloog Business Park. 28 & 29 (Lisvane - Thornhill - Llanishen Roath - Cardiff City Centre): New timetable and route 29 will now extend to serve Lisvane. 35 (Whitchurch Common - Gabalfa Cardiff City Centre): Minor timetable changes. 52 (Cyncoed - Albany Road - Cardiff City Centre): Minor timetable changes. 57, 58 & 59 (St Edeyrns - Pontprennau - Llanedeyrn - Albany Road - Cardiff City Centre): Minor timetable changes, with some 57 & 58 trips extending to serve St Edeyrns, to replace service 59.
At the end of March the Welsh Government’s Bus Transition Fund (BTF) will end, meaning the service changes will also come at a cost for passengers as fares will also be revised for March 31. Cardiff Bus posted: “From the next service change, like all operators across Wales, the costs of our services will need to be covered by the fares we sell on board and in our app. For most services this is already the case, so there will be minor changes or no need to change at all.”
Cardiff, Penarth and Llandough new fares: Within Barry, within Dinas Powys and within Sully or travel between Barry and/or Dinas Powys and Sully new fares:*Barry or Dinas Powys or Sully & Cosmeston.
**Barry, Dinas Powys and Sully & Cosmeston.