South & West Wales - De a Gorllewin Cymru

Service Changes from 6 December 2009.

Over recent months changes in the wider economy have meant that people's travel patterns have changed. To reflect this and better match its resources to demand, First Cymru is altering some local bus services from 6 December.

Changes being made effective as of 6 December:

Service 2A (City Centre - Oystermouth - Newton, via the University and Singleton Hospital): The timetable is being changed slightly to ensure all journeys follow the same route. As a result the 0635 departure from Newton to Swansea will no longer operate around the West Cross Estate.

Service 8 (Mozart Drive - Port Talbot, via Fairway and Aberavon Beach):Sunday services are withdrawn. Monday to Saturday services continue as normal.

Service 12 (City Centre - Townhill, via Mount Pleasant, Lady of Lourdes & Graiglwyd Square): The timetable has been altered to make the 1805 journey from Swansea city centre follow the same route as all the other timetabled journeys, continuing in service back to the City Centre (Belle Vue Way) having called in Townhill.

Service 59 (Swansea - Neath via Birchgrove): The route of this service has been extended. From 6 December buses will run hourly between Swansea and Neath via Birchgrove. Services will call at the Swansea Enterprise Park once an hour.

Service 103 (Ammanford - Llandeilo): This new service will run hourly between Ammanford and Llandeilo via Caecoed Estate and Woodfield Road in Llandybie connecting with Service X13 in Ammanford for through journeys to Swansea.

Service 111 (Swansea - Kidwelly via Gorseinon and Llanelli): From December the first journey from Swansea will no longer serve the Brynllwchwr Estate or Penygraig. Similarly the times of some evening journeys will be amended and services will no longer call at the Prince Philip Hospital. The Sunday timetable has also been altered slightly.

Service 120 (Swansea - Ystradgynlais, via Morriston, Clydach and Pontardawe): The timetable for this service is changing. From 6 December services 120 & 125 will run to a combined frequency of once an hour between Ystradgynlais and Swansea, travelling along Capel Road to access the city centre. Customers wishing to travel onwards to/from Swansea will be able to change buses in Pontardawe if they wish to increase their journey options.

Service 121 (City Centre - Craig Cefn Parc via Morriston Cross, Graig Felen, Clydach & Penydre): The timetable of this service is changing. From December buses will run hourly between Swansea and Craig Cefn Parc, with one shorter journey each hour running between Clydach and Graig Felen only. Buses will connect with other Swansea Valley services. Evening services, currently supported by the local authority will be unaffected by the changes, continuing to run as they do at present.

Service 122 (Morriston - Neath, via Clydach - Pontardawe and Bryncoch): The timetable is being altered slightly to improve the overall punctuality and reliability of the service.

Service 125 (Swansea - Ystradgynlais, via Morriston, Clydach and Pontardawe): The route and timetable of this service is changing. Services 120 & 125 will run to a combined frequency of hourly between Ystradgynlais and Swansea travelling along Pontardawe Road to access the city. Services will no longer call at Gurnos, Cwmtwrch, Ystradowen, Cwmllynfell or Brynamman but they will connect with other services at Pontardawe meaning customers will be able to change buses if they wish to increase their journey options to Swansea.

Service 132 (Neath - Pontardawe): The route of the service is changing. From December buses will run hourly between Neath and Pontardawe only. Customers wishing to travel further to Gwaun Cae Gurwen or Ammanford should use Service 148 (Pontardawe - Gwaun Cae Gurwen) and 124 (Ammanford and Brynamman) to complete their journeys.

Service 143 (Neath - Morriston, via Neath Abbey, Skewen (Dynevor Road) and Birchgrove): Aside from the 0705 morning journey from Banwen and the 1640 afternoon journey from Clase, the service is being discontinued. This is due to reduced customer demand. Customers wanting to travel between Neath and Birchgrove should use revised Service 59 (Swansea - Neath via Birchgrove) instead.

Service 148 (Pontardawe - Gwaun Cae Gurwen via Alltycham): This new service will work alongside Service 124 (Ammanford and Brynamman) and Service 132 (Neath - Pontardawe) and to provide transport between Ammanford and Neath.

Service 151 (Neath - Cimla via Cimla Crescent & Glannant Estate) and Service 152 (Neath - Cimla via Hillside & Westernmoor): The timetables for these two services are being altered slightly to improve their overall punctuality and reliability.

Service 158 (Neath - Seven Sisters via Jersey Marine and Skewen): Aside from some early morning commuter journeys (those running from Banwen at 0702 and from Swansea at 0725 and 0825) from 6 December all daytime services will start at Neath and will terminate at Seven Sisters. Evening and weekend services operated by First Cymru on behalf of the Council are unaffected by the changes, and will continue as normal.

Service 159 (Pontrhydyfen - Neath): The route of this service is changing. From 6 December services will run hourly between Pontrhydyfen and Neath only. Those wishing to travel onwards to Swansea will need to change buses in Neath. Those wishing to travel to the Swansea Enterprise Park are advised to use Service 59 (Swansea - Neath via Birchgrove).

Service 404 (Llanelli - Gorseinon - Swansea): The route of this service has changed. From December buses during the day will run between Llanelli and Gorseinon only via Parc Pemberton and Parc Trostre. Evening services to Swansea, supported by the Council, are unaffected though and will continue as normal. Through tickets will be available for those wishing to travel onwards to Swansea during the day.

Service X5 (Resolven - Neath, then Neath - Swansea): Service X5 has been split and will now run in two sections, from Resolven to Neath and then Neath to Swansea. Through tickets will be available but customers will need to change buses in Neath. The move has been taken to provide more connections with Service X75 which will now run between Glynneath and Neath only. The new fast link between Neath and Swansea is also designed to connect with Services X58 (Neath - Seven Sisters).

X12 (Swansea - Carmarthen via Gorseinon and Llanelli): From 6 December the 0630 journey between Carmarthen and Llanelli will be removed. The 0720 departure from Llanelli to Swansea will continue as normal.

Service X13 (Swansea - Ammanford - Llandeilo): From 6 December the 0605 and 0655 journeys from Llandybie will be removed, with both journeys operating from Ammanford bus station instead. During the day Service X13 will operate very half an hour between Swansea and Ammanford only, although morning and evening (commuter) services are unaffected and will continue onto Llandeilo as normal. Those people wanting to travel between Ammanford and Llandeilo during the day will be able to use a new Service 103 instead, with through fares available.

Service X15: From December the service is being replaced by Service X13 (Swansea - Ammanford), with connections to Brynamman being provided by Service 124, and to Llandeilo by Service 103. Through fares will be available.

Service X29 (Ammanford - Capel Hendre Industrial Estate via Penybanc): This service is being withdrawn due to low customer demand.

Service X20 (Swansea - Pontardawe): This is a new service linking Pontardawe with Swansea City Centre, calling at the Liberty Stadium and Swansea Railway Station. Running hourly and offering an end to end journey time of 28 minutes, the service is expected to be popular with commuters, shoppers and sports fans.

Service X58 (Neath - Seven Sisters): The route of this service has changed. From December it will no longer run direct to Swansea, instead customers wishing to travel from Seven Sisters to Swansea will need to change in Neath for Service X5.

Service X75 (Neath - Glynneath): With the exception of some commuter journeys and all tendered elements which remain unchanged, the route of Service X75 is being changed. From 6 December the majority of journeys will terminate at Neath. Customers wishing to travel onward to Swansea will need to change in Neath using Service X5 to complete their journeys.

In addition, changes to the timetables of the following services will be made effective as of 6 December, with some journeys removed: Services B23, 128, 129*, 142, 165, 166*, 182*, 194*, 195*, 196*, 197, 198*, 215, 224 and X1.

First Cymru will also cease to operate the following tendered services in Carmarthenshire. Services: 217, 222, 225, 226, 227, 243, 249, 275, 280, 281, 282, B5, B10, B11, B12, B13, X40 and X41. Queries relating to replacement services should be addressed to Carmarthen County Council.

Talking about the changes Tony McNiff, Managing Director of First Cymru, says: "Over recent months the changes in the wider economy have meant that people's travel patterns have changed. To reflect this and better match our resources to current demand, were adjusting some of the services in the region. In some places this means that the frequency of services is being reduced, while in other areas we are changing the route of services to between reflect the places that people are travelling to and from.

"It is important for us to regularly review the services we provide, ensuring that they remain well used. It is neither economically viable nor environmentally friendly for us to run empty buses, so we must match our services to customer demand."

Timetables for all the affected bus services will be available approximately two weeks prior to the changes being made.

*changes to these services were made in consultation with Carmarthen County Council.