Politician hits out at Arriva’s decision to to axe Llandegla bus service ‘without consultation’

A North Wales Member of the Senedd has hit out at Arriva Wales for leaving Llandegla at risk of “being cut off” due to service changes.

The transport operator confirmed last month that the X51 between Wrexham and Rhyl will no longer stop at the village and will instead remain on the A525.

The decision, announced without public consultation, means villagers fave having to walk 850m from the existing bus stop along unlit roads with no pavement to a stop without shelter.

However Arriva Wales said the change had been introduced “in response to the recently introduced 20mph speed restriction and aim to improve the reliability and efficiency of public transport in the region.”

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru’s North Wales regional MS, said the proposal for the X51 service from Wrexham to Rhyl was being imposed without any consultation with bus users, residents or their local representatives and had caused concern about the impact it would have on the village’s only remaining shop.

He said: “There are a number of factors that Arriva should have considered before making this planned change – not least pedestrian safety and the impact having to access the new bus stop outside the village would have on people with mobility issues. Have they carried out an Equality Impact Assessment and considered the needs of the elderly, disabled and youngsters in the community, who use the bus to get to school and college?

“The Arriva claim that only 0.6 passengers use Llandegla per journey is disputed by former employees and local residents, who say that it doesn’t include people with concessionary passes alighting at Llandegla.

“There are also wider considerations that a bus company might not feel is important but the loss of the bus service impacts on the numbers of people coming to the village centre, where the only community shop and café is located.

“The proposal, therefore, has been done with no consultation with residents and seems ill considered as it will reduce service to the community. More importantly, it will put local residents in danger. I urge Arriva to reconsider this variance in the timetable.”

Speaking in the Senedd last week Mr Gruffydd challenged Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, over Arriva Wales’ decision.

He said: “I was going to ask you about what the real motive was here, but I think you’ve touched on that, in fairness, Deputy Minister, because I’ve been asked by some of my electors whether—.

“You know, the change in speed limit probably is a driver for this, but I think there are other drivers for these changes that are playing out in terms of the wider challenges facing the sector. But I think you’ve probably had your say on that.

“So, can I ask you what you would have expected from a company like Arriva when it comes to implementing these changes?

“Because I’ve had constituents contact me who had no idea that these changes were coming and are reading about it in the press, and are really disappointed that they weren’t engaged as users, regular users of these services, and that they weren’t given an opportunity through a consultation process to say what they had to say about any proposals that were being prepared. Was there an equality impact assessment?

“I don’t know. If there wasn’t, then there should have been, because obviously it’s such an important part of people being able to access jobs and services, as we’ve heard.

“And there’s a proposed new stop—Llandegla was mentioned yesterday—on the main road, which, I believe, is on private land. The owner has no intention of allowing that land to be used. So, does this not all point to quite a botched job from Arriva when it comes to actually changing services, whatever the motive is?”

Lee Waters MS: Deputy Minister for Climate Change responded that “pleas” could be made to Arriva adding that “unless we’ve got money to give them, direct subsidy, to run routes that we define as socially necessary, they don’t have to take any notice”.