Calls for better bus services as operator exits

BUS users are calling for an improvement in services for north Gower, as Swansea Council considers options for a new operator in the area.

The demand, made at a public meeting, comes after Swansea Council issued a termination notice to its contracts for local buses with French-owned company Veolia Transport, which employs around 80 drivers at its depot near Penclawdd.

The authority said it had issued termination contracts in February as precaution before setting its budget, and had intended to rescind as many termination notices as possible once its finances had been decided, but "Veolia has seemingly not awaited the outcome".

But the uncertainty has led to anxiety among bus users on the north of the peninsula, who gathered to voice concerns at the meeting held at the village's rugby club where they also demanded a guarantee that a replacement bus service would be in place by when Veolia's contract expires on May 21.

Chairing the meeting, David Davies said: "We do not want any reduction in service, but an increase, including the reinstatement of services on a Sunday.

Service

"Already if you want a night out in Swansea you have to leave here by 5.30pm, and on Sunday we are confined to barracks.

"With the tourist season coming, it makes no sense to have such a poor service.

"But what we really don't want is to be left without any service in the interim period after May 21.

"This is the wrong time to be cutting services when petrol prices are going up and more people might be tempted to switch to using buses."

Bus users also argued that a divide existed in Gower, with bus services to Mumbles and south Gower continuing much later into the evening than the existing 116 service for north Gower.

Penclawdd councillor Paul Tucker told the meeting: "We can't manage with any less service, but until Swansea Council finalises its contracts with whoever it is going to be, then we will just have to wait and see.

A spokesman for Swansea Council said: "The council is in the process of re-tendering the contracts for subsidised bus services that are currently operated by Veolia.

"We hope to have these in place to ensure there is a no disruption to those services once Veolia cease to operate."

nino.williams@swwmedia.co.uk

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