Wednesday 30 April 2014

Cymru Clipper

On Monday, First Cymru unveiled the 'Cymru Clipper' - combining their network of interurban services under one banner. This comprises of:
X1 Swansea to Bridgend
X2 Porthcawl to Cardiff via Bridgend
X3 Swansea to Maesteg
X4 Neath to Bridgend via Port Talbot
X5 Swansea to Glynneath
X11 Swansea to Carmarthen via Llanelli
X13 Swansea to Ammanford
X58 Swansea to Banwen / Coelbren.

An all-day ticket for use on the Cymru Clipper network is £5; weekly £20; monthly £75.

Sounds good and fair play to First for coming up with some initiative. However, I see flaws in the plan.

If you don't happen to live close enough to walk to a bus stop on the Clipper network, you'll need to get another bus. An all day ticket now costs an extra £1.70 or it's a regular thing, an extra £2 a week.

Bridgend happens to be the most expensive area in South Wales to buy a weekly bus ticket. Someone living in, say, Pyle could travel to Cardiff or Carmarthen every day on the X1/X2 or X1/X11 and pay £2 a week less than someone travelling from the top of Kenfig Hill (over a mile away from Pyle) to McArthur Glen retail outlet. That can't be right.