Bending our ears on bus
BUS passengers have been hopping onto a new bendy bus in an attempt to get some of their questions answered.
One of the 19-metre-long Swansea Metro vehicles — or bendy buses as they have become known — was parked up on The Kingsway in the city centre yesterday for a drop-in surgery.
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Jo Horton and Heather Millard of Traveline Cymru who gave advice to public transport-users visiting the Swansea Metro surgery.
Representatives of First Cymru, Veolia, Traveline Cymru, Swansea Council and independent passengers group Bus Users UK Cymru, were on hand to chat to bus passengers.
The bendy buses, which are due to hit the streets early next year, are to run from Morriston Hospital to Singleton Hospital via the city centre and Oystermouth Road.
Barclay Davies, officer for Wales for Bus Users UK Cymru, said the open house surgery had been a success.
"People use buses when shopping, for leisure and going to and from hospital," he said.
"And we are here to take any questions from the public.
"It is also a chance for them to come and have a look at the new bus.
"This is the first time it has been parked somewhere in Swansea."
But there was a mixed reaction from the public at the surgery.
Pat Cooper from Saint Thomas, said she was not too keen on the bendy bus.
She said: "I think two smaller buses would have been adequate. A lot of cities have got rid of the bendy buses."
Richard Baldrian, aged 72, from Mayhill, who uses the bus every day, said the drop in surgery was a good idea because he was able to express some of his concerns.
He said: "I am against the metro, full stop, because of the millions being spent on the system.
"I think there should be more money put into bus shelters."
While others welcomed the new bendy bus.
Rhodri Evans, from Morriston, said: "I have never been on one of these buses before.
"I am very impressed, they are quite big and I like the design.
"I will be using them, and I think they will modernise transport in Swansea."
And Jan Olsen, aged 61, from Ravenhill, said: "I use the bus every day. It is a shame the bendy bus is on just the one route."
The Swansea Metro service is expected to start in spring next year.
For more information, visit the website www.swansea.gov.uk/metro
5 Comments
by D Jenkins, cornelly
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 12:35PM
“i think it sounds great.as a hgv and pcv driver ive said for years they should do away with one manning of buses.it causes holdups as the driver takes fares not only to the passenger bot to traffic waiting to pass.also these days the bus driver has enough to concentrate on with the driving and shouldnt have to worry about fares etc.either paying busfare should be done to a conducter or an auto ticket machine on the bus.it would speed up traffic flows where there are no bus lanes or pullin bustops.”
by eastside, trallwn
Friday, October 31 2008, 2:05PM
“It's a Mickey Mouse scheme which only this fiasco strewn Council could dream up.Cllr Hague {not as in the General] has a lot to answer for,roll on Binymaen elections!”
by anthony powell, Bridgend
Friday, October 31 2008, 8:39AM
“it is a great pitty that thanx to some moany old peopel living in the mumbles area that this bendy bus service cannnot operate all the way down to mumbles, i can bet as it is very frequent then it will get a lot of teh cars off the road, thus reducing congestion.
but once again the council has backed down to a few local residents who want to spoil things for everyone else.”
by Steve Jones, Uplands
Thursday, October 30 2008, 9:28PM
“So Swansea people can't even get on a bus without having lessons first!”
by H.Rees, Swansea
Thursday, October 30 2008, 5:35PM
“I think they are great! If it is raining, you can get on at the front of the bus, walk to the back, get off and you have travelled the whole length of the Kingsway without getting wet.”