'Unreliability' is problem for bus (From Barry And District News)

'Unreliability' is problem for bus

ONE of Barry's most popular evening bus services should be revised due to "unreliability" according to local councillors.

The 344, which runs from Cardiff Central, through Penarth Centre and Esplanade to Barry Island, "has a very tight schedule which often results in it being late".

The service, which runs in conjunction with service 343, was discussed at a meeting of the Vale of Glamorgan Council's Scrutiny Committee (Economy and Environment) on Wednesday at Penarth Leisure Centre.

Rob Quick, director of Environmental and Economic Regeneration, said: "There is a problem of unreliability with this service. Cardiff Bus would say the schedule is very tight.

"We need to have a look at routing to see if a more reliable service could be found."

Mr Quick said spot checks had been carried out by the Transportation Section, which found all buses operated within time differences allowed (no more than three minutes early or eight minutes late), apart from one.

This was the last 344 journey from Barry King Square that terminates at Ty-Verlon Industrial Estate. It was five minutes early, a matter which was brought to Cardiff Bus' attention.

But Cllr Ian Barlow, chairman of Sully Community Council, who uses the bus on a semi-regular basis, told the committee he had experienced different.

He said: "It's always late when I use it, but that might not be relevant as I don't use it all the time.

"It's not acceptable for it to be eight minutes late when we're stood at a bus stop on the Esplanade. That's a long time to wait in the cold and rain."

He added: "The 344 service was re-routed so it didn't go to Llandough Hospital. That helped, but it has not resolved problems."

Members of the council's Public Transport Section will meet Cardiff Bus' commercial director Peter Heath to discuss the issue this week.