Speed limit to be lowered to 20mph in Wales

[Eric the Half a Bee]

which bus routes are driving for 5 miles through 20mph roads?

You'll find loads in the valleys. I bet there's loads in Cardiff as well. The 17/18 to Ely would surely be all 20mph and that's a fair distance.

My local route covers 8 miles between Abercynon and Aberdare, which would become all 20 mph. That stretch takes around 45 minutes at present. It would easily need another 15 minutes each way, adding 30 minutes overall. It currently needs 6 buses and drivers to run an every 20 minute service. It would need an extra 2 buses and drivers to maintain that 20 minute frequency or be reduced to a half hourly frequency to maintain the current number of buses using it.

If you reduce a bus frequency less people then use it. If you increase costs on a route, fares would have to rise to accommodate. Fare rises mean less people use the bus. Routes that make minimal profits may end up being cut.