Transport for Wales is launching a public consultation on proposals for a potential new express north to south Wales coach service that would cut bus journey times between Bangor and Carmarthen by 90 minutes.

The proposed express-stop service would call at key town centres and railway stations along Wales' western coast, including Caernarfon, Porthmadog, Dolgellau, Machynlleth, and Aberystwyth.

With an expected journey time of 4 hours 45 minutes, the service is “being proposed to provide a faster, more convenient travel option for tourists and university students, while improving connections between communities along the western corridor”, TfW said.

Current public transport journey time between Bangor and Carmarthen is approximately 6 hours 20 minutes.

The service would initially operate with diesel coaches before transitioning to electric vehicles.

Plans include running up to eight coaches per day, with modern on-board facilities suitable for longer journeys and integration with rail services for onward travel.

The public consultation period will run for four weeks from 3 March, with an online 'have your say' page where people can learn about the proposals and share their views via a survey.

TfW will also host three in-person engagement events across the route to meet bus users and potential users to talk more about the service in Bangor on 10 March, Aberystwyth on 13 March and Carmarthen on 14 March.

Lee Robinson, Executive Director for Regional Transport and Integration at Transport for Wales said: “This proposed service represents an important step in improving sustainable transport options between North and South Wales. If you have any thoughts about the proposed service, we encourage everyone to take part in the online survey and help shape this significant transport link for Wales."

More details of the in-person engagements and the online consultation can be found on the Transport for Wales website.