Plan to overhaul Powys public transport reaches a key stage
Plans to transform Powys' bus network so no resident is more than an hour's travel from one of the county's five core towns has taken a leap forward.
A full council meeting next month will see the plans face their final test, with members needing to agree to spent £1.349 million in the first instance, and to increase the travel budget by £2.35 million a year to allow the changes to happen.
Powys County Council's Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet met on Tuesday, June 24, and discussed a report on bus service contracts in that county as well as details of a consultation held earlier this year on the proposed timetable changes.
Under the Sustainable Powys programme Welshpool, Newtown, Llandrindod, Brecon and Ystradgynlais are being designated the county's core towns.
And the new network is aimed at ensuring communities can get to their local core town within an hour's travel.
It also provides for longer distance services and onward travel to bigger towns and cities across the borders where Powys residents access services such as health.
Details of the new services will be published later in the summer.
Cllr Jackie Charlton, cabinet member for a greener Powys who is responsible for transport, said 'Subject to full council approval, Powys communities will soon be able to benefit from a more connected county.
"The upgraded public transport network in Powys aims to provide more reliable and frequent services in rural areas with better connections between towns and key services.
'If the additional funding requirements are approved by full council early next month, the new seven-year contracts will be awarded to a range of local and regional transport operators who will begin delivering enhanced services with greater connectivity from September 2025.
'Along with improved public transport provision, we are delighted that the young people of Powys will also benefit from the extension of the Welsh Government young person's travel concession (MyTravelPass) from September 2025, allowing them to travel on buses within Wales for just £1.'
Speaking at Tuesday's meeting Cllr Charlton added: 'We engaged, consulted and listened to lots of feedback from public transport users, this is the starting point for along the improvement journey for local transport users."
She added that 'lots of ideas' for further improvement had been received from consultation feedback which could be used in the future if more money is found.
Cllr Gary Mitchell (Plaid Cymru) vice-chairman of the Economy, Residents and Communities scrutiny committee criticised the lateness of the report coming in front of the councillors and that it had to be 'squeezed in' to a special 'last minute' meeting last Friday (June 20).
Cllr Mitchell said: 'There were only two options, and that limits us in making recommendations and we must understand there are significant budget pressures to both of them.'
Finance portfolio holder, Cllr David Thomas (Labour) said that he was 'confident' that the extra money could be found within council budgets to fund the proposal.
Former council leader and now portfolio holder for a prosperous Powys, Cllr James Gibson-Watt (Liberal Democrat) said: 'The perception out there is we hardly ever see a bus in Powys, when you look at the list there is a really comprehensive network operating and this will enhance that immensely.'
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