Without any consultation, Stagecoach have announced sweeping changes to their services across Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney.

Many of our communities will see bus services greatly reduced or even withdrawn completely.  This is unacceptable.

Buses are by far the most used and most important form of public transport, and we share the concerns of local residents about Stagecoach’s consistently poor and shoddy service that passengers across Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney have been forced to tolerate.

The problem stems from the deregulation of bus services in the 1980s by the Thatcher government.  This means that there are very few regulations and bus companies can pick and choose the routes they operate, often based on where they make the most money, not where there is the greatest need.

We’re pleased that the Welsh Government are using new powers to re-regulate bus services in Wales.  They are also lifting the ban on local councils setting up new municipal bus companies.

This will not be a quick fix, but we hope that it will help to ensure that communities across Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney have access to bus services.

In the meantime, we’ve written to Stagecoach asking them to suspend their service changes to allow for proper consultation with passengers, councils and elected representatives.

You can add your name to the letter by completing your details below.

Best wishes,

Dawn Bowden MS and Gerald Jones MP