Spiralling costs, falling passenger numbers, a lack of drivers, and uncertainty around future funding are threatening the future of some bus services in Ceredigion in the midst of a planned January shake up - with one popular route already set to be axed in a “devastating blow” to residents. 

The potential scrapping of the 585 bus service that links north and south Ceredigion’s rural villages with two of its major towns has raised concerns from councillors representing residents along the route – but hopes remains of an 11th hour reprieve. 

Bus routes and services in Ceredigion are currently part of a procurement process, with the current arrangements set to end on 31 December. 

Tenders received during the process are currently being evaluated, Ceredigion County Council said, and it is still not known what some services will look like for residents in the new year, with the authority warning of a “very challenging outlook” for public transport. 

One service is set to fall by the wayside, however, after no offers to run it were received. 

“Unfortunately, no tender has been received for operating the 585 service, Aberystwyth-Tregaron-Lampeter,” a Ceredigion County Council spokesperson said. 

“Unless a last minute contract can be negotiated, the non-school journeys on this route will not operate as of January 2023.” 

The 585 service travels from Aberystwyth to Lampeter via Tregaron and caters to many remote villages with a more elderly population including the rural villages of Cwmann, Cellan, Llanfair Clydogau, Llanddewi Brefi, Bronant, Lledrod and Llanilar. 

It provides school transport to Ysgol Henry Richard in Tregarn, Coleg Ceredigion and Ysgol Bro Pedr in Lampeter, along with Penglais and Penweddig secondary schools in Aberystwyth. 

The school transport element will remain. 

Ceredigion council stepped in to fund the service from August this year – which then saw changes to its established timetable. 

After Ceredigion council announced that no tender had been received for the route beyond 31 December – fears have been raised it will no longer run. 

Lampeter county councillor Ann Bowen Morgan said she and Lampeter Town Council are following developments closely, and said that “hopefully something can be arranged soon.” 

“We are very concerned about the bus service issue regarding the 585 form Aberystwyth to Lampeter via Tregaron,” she told the Cambrian News. 

“We are looking into this as a town council and myself as county councillor.   

“The small villages such as Cellan, Llanfair Clydogau, Llanddewi Brefi and Cwmann would be greatly affected as many don’t have access to [alternative] transport.  

“This would impact on Lampeter also for use of services and businesses.” 

Cllr Ifan Davies, who represents Tregaron and Ystrad Fflur, said he understands that Ceredigion County Council officers “are looking for a way forward for providing a service on this route”. 

Ceredigion council said the process aims to secure “statutory learner transport requirements” as well as opportunities for the general public to travel by bus on a number of routes in the county with a “particular focus on their affordability taking into account the significant increases in tendered prices.” 

“Opportunities for the general public to travel on some learner travel services will continue from January 2023 onwards,” the council added. 

“This is due to the integrated nature of the bus network in Ceredigion.” 

Cllr Keith Henson, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member with responsibility for Transport Services said: “It is a very difficult time for the bus industry with spiralling costs, a lack of qualified drivers, uncertainty around future funding arrangements and low passenger numbers.  

“The number of people using buses in Wales has been in decline for a number of years.  

“This has been made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic which has led to the amount of public funding required to subsidise local bus services rising dramatically on already stretched public finance budgets. 

“The council will continue in its efforts to work with key stakeholders including local bus operators, Welsh Government and Transport for Wales to provide sustainable and affordable travel opportunities by bus. 

“However, in the short term at least, it has to be recognised that the outlook is very challenging.” 

Concerns were raised earlier this month, as reported in the Cambrian News, over the future of bus services in Ceredigion, with local MS Elin Jones describing the situation as a ‘perfect storm’. 

Ms Jones said: “There is clearly market failure hitting the bus sector now as a result of a perfect storm of spiralling fuel costs, Covid-related passenger use changes and driver and labour shortages. 

“A fundamental review of bus franchising is underway by Welsh government, but this will not help services and bus companies in the short-term.” 

Following the news that the 585 could stop running in January, Ms Jones told the Cambrian News that “the loss of this important rural connection between Aberystwyth and Lampeter is a devastating blow for passengers who are reliant on this service”. 

“It also leaves a huge gap in the bus network in Ceredigion, especially linking our rural villages to our town centre services,” she said. 

“There is a real market failure in the bus sector at the moment due to a range of issues, and the fact that no bus companies are able to tender for such a service shows the current weaknesses in the system.  

“I will be continuing my discussions with the council and Welsh Government on how further support can be made available to the rural bus network because current support is obviously insufficient.” 

A Welsh Government White Paper and consultation earlier this year aims to “better plan and grow the bus network” across the country, by requiring the franchising of bus services across Wales and allowing local authorities to create new municipal bus companies. 

Ceredigion County Council said that “further updates will be provided in due course while officers focus their attention on providing the best level of travel opportunities possible.”

County councillor Eryl Evans, who represents the Llangybi ward, told the Cambrian News she has “received a number of messages from concerned residents” over the loss of the 585 service.

“This is a vital service used regularly by the people of my ward particularly in Llanfair and Cellan and a life line for getting to and from work, for doctor’s appointments, and for shopping,” she said.

“Unfortunately no bus companies tendered for this route, due I believe to a shortage of trained bus drivers and the volatility of fuel prices and this is obviously a difficult situation for them as well.

“Officials in Ceredigion County Council are aware of the demand for this bus route and are working hard to try and provide a solution.”