An action group campaigning against changes to 585 bus service linking Lampeter to Aberystwyth via Tregaron is collecting the experiences of townspeople ‘stranded on every level’ by the reduced service.
The 585 service was one of a handful of bus routes across Ceredigion feared to be scrapped at the start of this year. But thanks to a last-minute tender agreement, the service was given another six months to operate on a reduced timetable.
Although the 585 route was saved, the action group consider the reduced service ‘unacceptable’.
They claim it is isolating the community, impacting ‘every aspect of life,’ creating ‘struggles and anxiety’ and dropping many residents’ ‘quality of life.’
The group is campaigning for a return to the 585 service’s original timetable, which saw buses running through the village everyday, including weekends and bank holidays. They hope that sharing the experiences of people who use the service will justify the need to return the 585 to its original timetable.
On top of seeing a return to the original service, the group hopes for more consultation in the future from Ceredigion County Council on issues facing local bus services. One member of the group said: “How can you run an adequate bus service without knowing what’s going on?”
The action group’s founder, Richard Williams said: “In a way it’s like we’re being disabled. There are disastrous social and psychological aspects to the situation with the 585 bus.
“There’s a lot of hidden poverty in rural Welsh communities, and the lack of adequate buses keeps people in their situation. If you live in Cellan, you couldn’t reliably hold a job in Lampeter or Aberystwyth using the service we have now.
“Having good public transport gives people access to the resources they need, as well as cheaper alternatives in different shops.”
One member of the group, Jan Johnson, was forced to change her shifts at work because she couldn’t get to Lampeter in time using the reduced service. Ms Johnson has had to rely on her neighbours for lifts, as well as risk walking down the ‘dangerous’ road connecting Cellan to Lampeter.
Members across the action group are facing similar difficulties accessing the services they need in Lampeter and other local towns. In particular, many are struggling to access Lampeter’s doctor surgery.
Appointments at the surgery have to be made at 8.30 am, which is the same time the only morning bus runs through Cellan carrying children to school. In the space of only a few minutes, residents need to get their appointment booked, and get to the bus stop in time. Then, in Lampeter, they have to spend hours waiting for the 1.30pm bus back home. The issue gets worse over the school holidays, when the 8.30am bus stops running.
The impact on local people’s health doesn’t end with the surgery, members are having similar struggles collecting prescriptions at the chemist. They either have to wait around for hours in the morning, or hope that they can get in and out of the chemist within the half-hour window between the 11.50am bus arriving in Lampeter, the store closing for lunch, and the bus back home.
Health impacts have travelled with residents back to Cellan. The village is home to a community outreach clinic, designed to ease the backlog of health issues after the pandemic. The reduced timetable has members fearing for the clinic’s future.
According to action group member Christine Lambert: “One of the selling points for the clinic was that people – whether they were volunteers or patients – could get to it on the bus. That’s no longer possible on the reduced timetable.”
Alison Hamilton is a long-time 585 user with visual impairments who has struggled to do her weekly shopping since the change. Her decision to move to Cellan in the first place was partly based on the fact that she had access to adequate bus services.
Ms Hamilton shops at the Co-op, where she used to get help from members of staff. Without a morning bus running after 8.30am, she hasn’t been able to get to the shop at a quiet enough time to have that assistance.
The impact of the reduced service extends to the social lives of many members of the action group.
Members called the bus their ‘community centre’ and spoke about the times they shared birthday presents and cards and caught up with friends as part of their journeys. But much of that ended with the reduced service, and many of the service’s users don’t see each other anymore.
Mr Williams said: “We really got to know people on bus rides, it was really fun being able to get that social interaction from a bus trip.”
As well as losing touch with other bus riders, members of the action group feel like they are losing connection with many social events taking place over weekends and in the evenings.
Without access to any weekend buses, members of the group have struggled to take part in activities such as the market day in Lampeter and the Tregaroc festival.
Ceredigion County Council told the Cambrian News it is currently undertaking a procurement process for a number of supported local bus services in Ceredigion.
“This includes the 585 service and the intention is that new services will start on 1 September 2023,” the council statement said.
“Details regarding the outcome, and any implications, of this process on services can only, and will, be shared upon its completion.
“The level of service currently in place on the 585 route reflects the best level of travel opportunities it was possible to secure following discussions with the operator.”
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