A campaign group has called for the reinstatement of a park and ride service in Aberystwyth, but were left ‘disappointed’ at a hustings with prospective MPs after candidates “failed to present concrete plans or commitments to ensure its implementation.”

The Ceredigion Bus Action Group expressed “profound concerns regarding the lack of attention given to their issues by political candidates from major parties” during a hustings in Llanrhystud.

The park and ride service, which allowed residents and visitors to park in the county council owned car park in Park Avenue and get into town and access Bronglais hospital via bus was axed in 2016.

Since then, calls have been made to reinstate the service, with complaints over car parking in the town centre itself.

The Ceredigion Bus Action Group said the during the hustings, the candidates “acknowledged broad consensus on the importance of reinstating the service to Aberystwyth, but that “they failed to present concrete plans or commitments to ensure its implementation.”

“Concerns raised by the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru regarding funding for such initiatives underscored a systemic issue of neglect and underfunding in our region's public transport infrastructure,” the group said.

The group also raised concerns over the “neglect” regarding changes to the Bwcabus service without consulting passengers, leaving communities such as Cribyn without any bus service at all.

As the Cambrian News reported earlier this month, changes to the T5 service saw some routes to Aberporth and New Quay scrapped during the day.

The changes left the communities holding urgent meetings in a bid to address the problem.

The group said the T5 change “underscores a recurring issue: decisions affecting local bus services are made without meaningful input from affected passengers, fostering a sense of neglect and marginalization.”

The Ceredigion Bus Action Group said there was “palpable dissatisfaction among attendees with the responses” and said there was a “clear demand for genuine local consultation and accountability in decision-making processes.”

“Decisions impacting local bus services should not be confined to distant corridors of power in Westminster or Cardiff but must involve meaningful input from Ceredigion's residents and regular bus users,” the group said.

“Amid ongoing challenges faced by local bus passengers and recognizing the crucial role of public transport in community connectivity and accessibility, the Ceredigion Bus Action Group urges all political parties to prioritize the needs of local residents in their policies and commit to transparent and consultative governance.”