Welsh Bus Network Plan - Statutory Consultation

This consultation is for statutory consultees specified in the Bus Services (Wales) Bill.

Welcome to the Have Your Say consultation page for the draft Welsh Bus Network Plan. This page contains all the information needed to help you provide your views on the draft plan.

Introduction to Bus Reform

The Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and Local Authorities in Wales are working together to prepare for Bus Reform. The current system of deregulation means, subject to registration and licencing requirements, operators can run bus services which make profits for their business. Local Authorities have the responsibility of funding and securing socially necessary bus services, where none are provided. The current system makes it difficult to bring together commercial and socially necessary bus services into a joined up public transport network.

In the new system, decisions about bus services in Wales (including routes, timetables, fares, hours of operation and service quality standard), will be made by Welsh Government and Transport for Wales and we’ll be working in partnership with Local Authorities and Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs). Bus Operators can bid for contracts of various sizes to run services to agreed specifications.

In the longer term, to attract more people to use buses we want to:

• build a simpler bus network which is linked in with the rest of public transport in Wales and is easy to navigate (One Network).
• create coordinated timetables which are easy to use and allow connections across public transport in Wales (One Timetable).
• introduce simpler ticketing which enables travel across public transport in Wales with affordable and consistent fares (One Ticket).

The Bus Services (Wales) Bill was laid in the Senedd in March 2025 and on the assumption that the Bill be passed by the Senedd work is underway to prepare for the transition this will bring. We’re aiming to introduce Bus Reform in South West Wales from summer 2027. Bus Reform will be delivered through a staggered and regional approach with the key dates and regions (as they stand currently) being:

• South West Wales - 2027
• North Wales - 2028
• South East Wales - 2029
• Mid Wales - 2030

We’ll continue to engage and consult regionally along the way with stakeholders and the public. Change will be delivered over time offering local bus services that are safe, integrated, sustainable, efficient and economic. More information on our proposed approach to Bus Reform can be found here; Bus reform for Wales: our roadmap to franchising | GOV.WALES

Bus Services (Wales) Bill - Draft Welsh Bus Network Plan

The Bus Services (Wales) Bill requires Welsh Government and Transport for Wales to work closely with Local Authorities and Corporate Joint Committees, using their local knowledge to design and plan services that meet the needs of their communities. To demonstrate this close working the Bill includes a statutory requirement for consultation with Local Authorities and a number of other organisations.

Using the knowledge and seeking the views of Local Authorities, a draft Welsh Bus Network Plan has been created setting out the routes and key stopping points that must be delivered as standard local bus services. In the case of flexible local bus services, the draft plan sets out the geographical area and any fixed sections the service is required to operate along with any key stopping points. Bus Operators can then bid to run those services.

Having prepared the draft of the Welsh Bus Network Plan, we must, before publishing the plan, consult with you as a statutory consultee to seek your views officially.

So, What’s Changed?

South West Wales - Proposed Base Network

We are aiming to introduce Bus Reform to South West Wales in summer 2027. This first step in Bus Reform for the region has involved Transport for Wales and Local Authorities jointly developing a proposal for the bus network. We’re currently formerly engaging with stakeholders and the public on this Proposed Base Network which includes details of the routes and frequencies.

We have used the current network as the starting point to develop our Proposed Base Network. The Proposed Base Network is designed to be deliverable within the current funding resource. We have applied our network planning principles to develop a simpler network, remove duplication where possible and coordinate services. Where we have access to data about travel demand, reliability of bus services and operating conditions, we have drawn on this to support the planning of the network.

Where we have made some changes, they are based on:

• Having a simpler network, that is easy to explain, remember and navigate.
• High-frequency core routes that can attract the highest patronage.
• Interchanges between bus services to enable faster journeys to more destinations.
• More direct services.

Proposed changes in South West Wales can be identified in the plan where a service is numbered using an alphanumeric system. For example, ‘a1’. The exception to this is TrawsCymru, which are already listed as T5, T6 etc and currently do not change in the plan. Please note this is for the purposes of engagement and consultation only.

Powys – Proposed ‘Bridge to Franchising’ Network

The ‘Bridge to Franchising’ initiative has seen Powys County Council, Ceredigion County Council and Transport for Wales collaborating on maximising improvements to local bus services and the broader transport system between now and 2030, prior to the introduction of the Bus Services (Wales) Bill and regional delivery of Bus Reform in the Mid Wales region.

Transport for Wales are supporting the local authorities with implementing network enhancements, alongside other developments such as the introduction of new fleet, simplified ticketing options and a distance-based fare initiative.

Powys County Council have consulted on and procured an enhanced network, which is included in this draft Welsh Bus Network Plan. This proposed network is subject to sufficient revenue funding being available within Powys County Council.

The ‘Bridge to Franchising’ network enhancements in Powys include:

• Increase in distance covered (miles) by 24% (439k extra miles, up from 1.81 to 2.25). This has been enabled by an increase in funding from Powys County Council.
• Introduction of longer operating hours and Sunday services on core express (X) and TrawsCymru (T) services.
• TrawsCymru services (T2, T4 and T6) will be contracted by TfW.
• Additional new fflecsi (i.e. Demand Responsive Transport) zones in collaboration with TfW are proposed in Llanidloes (6 days per week) and Rhayader (5 days per week). Operational boundaries and operating hours are still being determined. Therefore the boundaries of these zones do not feature on the draft plan, at this stage.

For North and South East Wales, you will note, the draft plan details the current network in these regions. This is due to Bus Reform being delivered through a staggered approach. Early network design discussions are underway with the Local Authorities in these regions, change will be seen in future iterations of the draft plan.