Bendy bus bow as route opens
A SPECIAL guest was on hand to help open a new £2.8 million road in Swansea yesterday.
While dignitaries lined up to be among the first to use the Landore express route yesterday, all eyes were on the bus they travelled on.
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John Hague and Reena Owen, of Swansea Council, First chief Tony McNiff and First UK Bus commercial director Leon Daniels open the new express bus route into Swansea city centre from Landore park and ride.
The Swansea Metro — nicknamed the bendy bus — is set to hit the roads of the city next year.
However, it paid a special visit yesterday to be the first vehicle to use the newly constructed express bus lane linking the Landore park and ride site to the city centre.
Transport bosses at Swansea Council are confident the new £2.8 million fast track into the city will provide visitors and commuters with a fantastic alternative to the car.
Cabinet member for the environment John Hague said: "I'm delighted to have officially opened this new section of road, which is purpose- built for public transport.
"We are continuing our efforts to make public transport a popular choice of transport for people visiting the city centre.
"Park and ride in Swansea has an excellent reputation," he added.
"And those already using it will benefit greatly from quicker journey times."
The new road runs alongside the main railway line into the city centre, and bypasses busy roads, including Neath Road, Dyfatty Street and parts of High Street.
First managing director Tony McNiff said: "This new link will have a huge effect on public transport services, in terms of reducing times.
"The council has recognised the bottleneck caused by traffic near Dyfatty, and provided a new road that will avoid this problem."
Interim head of transportation for Swansea Council Geoff Sheel said: "The new express road will provide buses travelling from Landore park and ride with a much quicker route to the city centre.
"Other public transport will also be able to use the road for faster access to and from the city centre."
The route will also cater for Swansea Metro services and Swansea Valley express bus services.
Funding for the scheme has come via an Assembly transport grant and Objective One.
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by terri, swansea
Wednesday, May 06 2009, 1:25PM
“yeah ok the bendy - bus is like 61 foot long! it hold up to 115 passangers with out anyone stannding which means less buses go on the streets! why dont we just give them a chance if it dont work then its the concil wasting money but if it does work and prove you all wrong OH WELL! it just proves that nobody like a change and cant be bortherd to try something new!”
by John, Swansea
Sunday, September 21 2008, 11:50AM
“I know many people have linked the arrival of bdeny buses with the changes to the road layout in Swansea but let's be clear about one thing - the only reason the two were ever linked was to get funding from WAG. Bendy buses are quite capable of travelling on normal roads without the widening schemes we have seen recently.
Let's also be clear that, love it or hate it, the one-way system around Swansea centre is here to stay because it would cost too much and be too disruptive to put it back now.
The only thing I hope is that the various bodies can get their acts together and finally put an effective park and ride to get fans to and from the Liberty Stadium from ALL points of the City now that the Swans have been promoted.
I tried (and failed) once to get the park and ride to the ground and was then horrified to find there were no buses to get me back to my car after the match anyway so if I had been successful I would have been stranded in Landore - unbelievable but true!!”
by Anon, Swansea
Wednesday, September 17 2008, 10:11PM
“Will Councillors be using these buses to attend meetings in the Civic Centre? If so why do they still need dedicated parking at the Civic Centre?
If not are the buses just for the masses while the roads are kept clear for them to drive around the city centre at will parking for free in all council car parks if on council business!”
by Rob, Swansea
Wednesday, September 17 2008, 8:10PM
“Surely the real benefit of the bendy bus/metro is not the vehicle itself, but the infrastructure. It may have cost millions of pounds to set up, but this was all money from the assembly. Without the bendy bus there would be no new road link. And without the new road link the cash that has come to Swansea would have been given somewhere else. There will only be 17(?) bendy buses so the vast majority of the infrastructure will be used by normal buses. And after the bendy-bus has gone, the roads will remain. Result all round.”
by anthony powell, bridgend
Wednesday, September 17 2008, 6:59PM
“As a keen supporter of public transport, i wish peopel would shut the hell up about this bendy bus. there is nothing worng with them and with the argument of them being dangerrous to cylists etc, have many of you see how bad some cyclists are?”