LOCAL Plaid Cymru AM Elin Jones has responded to today’s shock announcement that Arriva is to withdraw its services completely from Ceredigion and Meirionnydd. The company announced on 1 October that it would be cutting many of its services in December, including long-distance buses to Carmarthen and Cardiff, as well as close depots in Aberystwyth, New Quay, Lampeter and Dolgellau.

Plaid AM Elin Jones said:

“It is a huge shock to the people of Ceredigion that Arriva has decided to withdraw completely from all of its bus services in Ceredigion and in the surrounding areas. The company has given no opportunity for a seamless transition to other operators and for the local authority and Welsh Government to plan that appropriately. The company has given the minimum amount of warning.

“I use these services myself and I know that they are used widely, and Arriva has let everyone down today.

“We now need to see the local authority and Welsh Government retender these services as quickly as possible so that other local operators can salvage the services. The bus drivers and the people who use these services need to have certainty soon that these services will continue to be available in Ceredigion.

“Ceredigion has a number of good, reliable local bus operators who can step into the breach. We have to work together to make sure that they’re given every opportunity.”