Bendy bus 'threatening future of businesses'

SWANSEA'S new bendy bus is threatening the survival of one of the city's busiest shopping areas, it has been claimed.

All five Labour councillors in Morriston have written to council chiefs saying the business community is in dire straits due to an "unprecedented amount of disruption".

They are demanding a tax rebate for businesses and householders affected by the ftr metro service, which was launched on June 1 by First Cymru.

In a letter to council leader Chris Holley and chief executive Paul Smith, they said: "While it is not unreasonable to expect some disruption from a scheme like this, the scale and ongoing nature of the disruption is completely unacceptable. We have been approached by many businesses in Morriston who have told us that they are close to collapse, with some reporting a massive 30 per cent fall in shoppers since the works started."

But Councillor Ioan Richard was not convinced. He said: "I have done my own research and followed it (the bendy bus) twice in my car from Morriston Hospital down through Morriston centre to the Wych Tree roundabout at peak rush hour, and I can say it went very smoothly through Morriston, without a hitch or hold-up."