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For the second time in as many weeks, the now only hourly Cardiff Bay service is cancelled at the last minute..as is the one after it. Dozens stranded, women walking into town in the dark, no announcements whatsoever...
It's unbelievable how bad it is.
Why do we put up with this shit in Wales?
I’ll tell you what is a dreadful transport situation in Cardiff. The National Express Sophia Gardens set up. Me and the missus got back from Liverpool about half six yesterday evening, no taxi rank there, which is shocking with town being a bit of a walk. Walking alongside the Taff in Sophia Gardens in the dark isn’t a very nice experience. Two elderly ladies kept up with us towards Cardiff Bridge. They remarked how daunting it would have been if they’d been alone.
I’ve suggested today to National Express that a shuttle mini bus into town should be provided, even if they added a quid to the fare to fund it. I’d be wary walking the route alone in the dark, it’s very inhospitable, a mugger’s dream.
You think it's worse than other parts of the UK?Originally Posted by JamesWales
I absolutely do. I think our motorway network into Wales is dire. I think our national airport is dire, and I think - particularly at the moment - our train system is dire. One train an hour between Cardiff Bay and Cardiff City centre, which then gets cancelled with no information leaving people stranded. It's absolutely embarrassing.
Splott Parker is right too on the bus station, which has been there for about 5 years now. It's extremely intimidating in the evening.
Honestly, at the moment I think the service is worse than Arriva Trains Wales who at least seemed to care about customers. It's incredible how bad it is at the moment.
We are so backward on getting over covid, it's extraordinary
I agree with all your remarks. The Welsh government provide a worse train service than Arriva did. Those who rely on it to get to and from work use it more than most and suffer to a higher degree. As you noted, they can't be arsed to offer an explanation or an albeit perfunctory apology much of the time which equals a further kick in the nuts to their victims stood on platforms.
Our rail network is mainly as a result of underinvestment. I find your comment that ATW cared about customers to be laughable. It's also worth noting that it's only relatively recently that our trains left the hands of Keolis/Amey after they realised how much money they'd lose over the course of the franchise.
Our airport was run into the ground by its previous owners and hadn't the WG stepped in, we might not have kept our airport. Some might say there's not much point in it given its location and given that Bristol airport has far better fares and destinations.
I agree about the bus station - Cardiff council should hang their heads in shame over it.
I spent 10 years using public transport to get around (I didn't need a car when I lived in Canton and got used to not having one when I moved to the valleys). I've been on a customer panel with a major bus operator as Fingers on here would testify (he was on the same panel). Privatisation of public transport has been a balls up. Train operators get government money if they make losses but keep any profits. Bus operators operate where they can make money rather than where some services are needed. Council run services plug some gaps. Traws Cymru operate a reasonable long distance bus network where these services wouldn't have existed.
Public transport is a bit of a chicken and egg scenario. People want frequent, regular, cheap services. Operators will provide them if they are well used. If they don't get used, frequencies get cut. Once services get cut, less people use them. It can be a vicious circle. I'm surprised trains to the bay are only hourly but that can only be because of patronage. People would complain if we had a bay train every 10 minutes that was nearly empty all the time.
This is what Cardiff council in the city and the Welsh government county-wide are telling people that they should use instead of their cars, and they are actively trying to make it more and more onerous to drive in order to make people use public transport (Not just buses)but, and it's a big but, they are failing to make any attempt to provide the standard of service they tell people they should be using. It is abysmal. And as quoted here a while ago by a member, they say people should reasonable expect to have to walk up to a mile to get to a bus service and to get from a bus to their destination. Besides adding up to 1 1/2hrs to every journey imagine a lady on her own getting off a bus in some areas of the city with the prospect of having to walk a mile home alone in the dark? It's bordering on criminal.
A prime example of this lack of effort to provide the alternative to cars that they espouse is the Burns Report which said the speed restrictions on the M4 should be an integral part of a comprehensive upgrading of public transport including the tram system and building new stations from the bridge to Cardiff. The government pounced on the chance to justify the speed limit and to take money off people for breaking it but have made no serious effort to enact anything else the report called for. The prospect of a railway station somewhere near Rumney/St Mellons in 2 years time doesn't really cut it does it?
Six bells Abertillery to Cwm a distance of 3.5 miles takes 1.50 hours by stagecoach.Six bells to Brynmawr to Ebbw Vale to Cwm.Change three ties.
Pontypool to cardiff bus via Cwmbran reduced to a three hour service.
there,s no incentive for labour to do anything, as there,s no opposition, labour get voted in all the same.
I'm sure if there was a market for a regular service between Abertillery and Cwm Stagecoach would have considered it. As for the X3, I'm not surprised. Before Covid I caught that at various times between Cardiff and Cwmbran and it was always virtually empty.
It's Abertillery to Cwm then Ebbw Vale.There's a six form college in Ebbw Vale.Students face a detour to Brynmawr change for Ebbw Vale.
The bus services are crap because of the wages stagecoach pay.Many have retrained as HGV one drivers.
Indeed. It's another problem facing the bus industry. Stagecoach wages are certainly on a par with the rest of the industry and are better than some, so it's not just a Stagecoach problem. The HGV crisis that has developed as a result of Brexit has meant a shift this way. It does need to be noted that HGV drivers, to earn good money, need to work antisocial hours and be prepared to spend days away sleeping in their cab. That's where the good money is, according to a friend of mine who is a manager of a haulage company.
If there is enough demand, the college should approach Stagecoach, or the council to put it out for tender, for a service.
The lack of HGV drivers has had a big effect.
Pay for bus drivers is sh!t and they are retraining as HGV drivers.
Result the bus services have deteriorated.
Ive said it before. Transport by me has suffered due to Brexit.
Lack of drivers.
Maybe theres an issue with staffing on the trains as well.
The Cwmbran to Cardiff service used to run every 20 minutes a few years ago. Surely that change can't be permanent?
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/01...n-tickets.html
What are you complaining about?! Soon you'll be able to buy a ticket for your nonexistent train at the corner shop.
There are two issues here. The first is the transport policy in Wales, which is appalling - it's barely third world standard. We don't have any motorways in Wales. If you're restricted to driving at fifty mph, then it's not a motorway, it's an A-road. And if you can't get a bus or a train, you have to use your car, but the roads are strangled by bus routes and cycle lanes.
The second is Covid, and the way that certain people continue to rip the piss out of it, taking leave after leave. It only seems to affect unionised or nationalised businesses, did you notice? That's because no-one else would put up with all that lead-swinging. Farcical.
Thats true!
Its now June and this still applies, I phoned my local planning dept for a appointment 2 weeks ago
we dont do appointments sir,
Hmmmm how do I show you my plans
We have very few people in the office
( Now I could have guess why, but had to ask ) Whys that ?
Covid
( I laughed )
The whole country is back to normal now, yet the council are still WFH ( which is fine if they can do the same job as if they were in the office, but in this case, they simple cant )
its getting beyond now everyone still using covid as the answer / excuse cant even speak to a gp , the dvla its down to the backlog caused by covid
Exactly. The Welsh Government is incompetent, but the opposition are even worse.
welsh government need anyone say anymore
The Arriva 'trains' are actually converted, second hand trams. They're an embarrassment.
Which ones are these? It was talked about 5-6 years ago but I haven't heard anything since.
The ones - for example - that run from Ninian Park to the suburbs, etc. They weren't built as locos, but are actually trams around 30 years old bought second hand from somewhere in Europe, then converted. That's why they make that sound when they're starting up. They're wrecks !
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