Bwcabus Is Reaching More Rural Communities Than Ever

The award-winning Bwcabus is serving more rural communities than ever helping residents to access healthcare, training and employment and leisure services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tailored to the needs of its passengers, journeys can be pre-booked allowing people to travel between local towns and villages within the zone or connect to the main line bus services to Aberaeron, Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Carmarthen. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It operates between 7am and 7pm Monday to Saturday and also has a number of fixed routes that operate on certain days. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The existing area has been extended to a number of new towns and villages including Llanerchaeron, Llanfair Clydogau, Ffarmers and Ffaldybrennin. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A new Bwcabus service has also been launched in Pembrokeshire, thanks to a grant of almost £1.8million under the LINC project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carmarthenshire’s Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Hazel Evans said: “Bwcabus is making a huge difference to people living in the more remote parts of rural Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am delighted that even more communities are now benefitting from this service. As well as giving residents easier access to healthcare and other key local services, it is also helping with employment and training opportunities, with improved connections to mainline bus and rail services. It really is providing a valuable contribution to rural life, health and the local economy.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Bwcabus is a partnership between Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire county councils. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The LINC project aims to build upon the success of Bwcabus and TrawsCymru developments, to pilot an integrated transport network (ITN) across South West Wales, designed to respond to the needs of rural communities and reduce social exclusion. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 (RDP), which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said: “I am pleased we have been able to provide a grant of almost £1.8million of funding to expand the Bwcabus service in more rural communities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I look forward to hearing about the future success and benefits of this project on the people living in these rural communities.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​