Director of CPT Cymru Aaron Hill outlines the background to the CPT’s two recent reports looking at bus services in Wales and how a franchising system can be put in place that works for government, users and operators alike
Buses are an essential part of the social and economic fabric of Wales. With nearly one in five of the Welsh population having no access to a car, buses are a lifeline to many people. As the most popular form of public transport in Wales, our industry helps around 100 million people every year to get to work, to visit friends and family, and to do their shopping and access vital services.
However, in the years since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, bus services have been under unprecedented pressure in Wales. The overnight loss of passengers through lockdowns has been followed by interminable economic volatility, alongside long-term changes in the way people work and move around their communities. For the last three years, a combination of emergency and transition funding from the Government has provided a lifeline to ensure bus services are able to continue running in many parts of the country.
But the pandemic didn’t start the decline of bus patronage in Wales. The prevailing narrative from decision makers has been that the commercial model, and the de-regulation of bus services has failed, but the truth is far more complicated than that. The long-term reduction in the numbers of people travelling on buses began in the 1950s, prior to de-regulation, and has been exacerbated by increased car ownership and car-friendly policies, changes on the high street, and an overall reduction in the number and range of bus services provided.
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