People reliant on public transport in Dwyfor Meirionnydd have been well and truly abandoned, according to MS Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Demanding that the Cabinet Secretary for Transport make a statement on the impact of cuts to Traws Cymru services a year ago has had on his constituents, Mr ap Gwynfor said vulnerable people and those in education are bearing the brunt.
Speaking in the Senedd, Mr ap Gwynfor said: “It's almost a year since we saw changes to bus timetables on the Traws Cymru routes, and this follows cuts implemented by your government. If my inbox is anything to go by, it's clear the changes have been a disastrous failure, with vulnerable people not being able to access services, children and young people not being able to get to sports clubs, and so on. So, can we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport outlining an assessment of the impact of these cuts over the past year since they were introduced?”
Mr ap Gwynfor said the importance of bus services within rural communities cannot be understated.
“For the elderly and vulnerable they're vital lifelines for medical appointments and shopping - whilst many other residents are reliant on them for travelling to and from work and to attend school and college.
“The paucity of buses in rural areas are leaving more people than ever before isolated – with those who cannot independently get to work, the shops or to the doctor having to turn to friends, taxis, and community transport to get them from A-B.
“I repeatedly warned the government about the likely impact of these cuts.
“We’ve seen places like Llanuwchllyn and Llandderfel losing out on a crucial connection, not to mention the impact on people in Garndolbenmaen with the removal of the valued T2 service.
“These cuts were brought in without any prior meaningful consultation with communities and local bus users. This unsustainable situation is having catastrophic impact on our rural communities, together with undermining wider public transport commitments.”
Mr ap Gwynfor has been told that the Cabinet Secretary for Transport will be assessing the impact of changes on the Traws Cymru routes.
