New free bus service connects Llan and Garth

Assembly Member Ken Skates has welcomed a new free bus service connecting a rural community to Wrexham and Llangollen.

Mr Skates, the Labour AM for Clwyd South, wrote to Wrexham County Borough Council earlier this year to ask the authority to consider opening up the school bus in Garth to members of the public.

 

Mr Skates and local councillor Pat Jeffares had been investigating possible solutions to the withdrawal of the community bus service as part of enforced savings being made by the council in light of UK Government cuts to Wales.

The new twice-daily Garth Shuttle service started on Wednesday, September 3.

Mr Skates said: “The withdrawal of the bus service was another extremely tough decision forced upon the council by huge cuts from Westminster after public spending in Wales being slashed by 10% by the UK Government.

“I know the move caused a lot of concern for local residents, but Pat and I were hopeful of a positive outcome after holding constructive talks with council officers who visited the village with us to experience first-hand the difficulty many residents face.

“I wrote to the council in May to put forward the proposal that the school bus service could be used free of charge by members of the public, which is now in operation and provides a service for residents to access buses to Wrexham, Llangollen and other destinations.”

The service runs Monday-Friday during term-time and pick-up points are Garth School (9am), opposite the old Post Office in Trevor (9.03am) and opposite Eagles in Acrefair (9.05am). On the way back it is Acrefair at 2.55pm, Trevor at 2.57pm and Garth School at 3pm.

Mr Skates added: “I am pleased our efforts have yielded a positive result for the community and would like to thank Pat for his help. I will continue to work hard for residents in Garth and my constituents throughout Clwyd South.”