BayTrans: Countryside

Promoting Public Transport Access to the Countryside

The project commenced on 1st February 2016 and got off to a great start with a field trip for tourism students who used the X55 bus on their special adventure to the Scŵd Gwladus waterfall in Pontneddfechan. Inspired by Visit Wales’ 2016 Year of Adventure, BayTrans inaugurated the ‘Bus to Adventure’ theme and linked with First Cymru buses to promote travel on their ‘Cymru Clipper’ routes from Swansea and Neath to the Neath and Dulais Valleys, famous for heritage, waterfalls and walks.

The BayTrans website http://www.swanseabaywithoutacar.com/ is being comprehensively updated, particularly with information on interesting walks in the Neath Port Talbot rural areas. John Davies, BayTrans’ Partnership Officer said:

“The website gives extensive marketing support to local bus routes and we will be informing businesses in the rural wards through our e-newsletters to involve them in the project. I have visited over 14 stakeholders and organisations since the start of the project to discuss with them how public transport could be relevant to their businesses, supplying information on local transport; anddistributed bus timetables to a much wider range of businesses.”

John goes on to explain:

“We have a database of over 130 contacts who will receive regular e-newsletters and communications. A marketing strategy and area specific marketing plan for the Neath and Dulais areas is being rolled out in conjunction with Bus to Adventure.”

What's Next?

“A new plan for nominating suitable walks is being drawn up and, in common with existing BayTrans walks, are designed specifically to appeal to public transport users. Our existing walks have been reviewed and amended where necessary and two new walks – Briton Ferry Jersey Park to Efail Fach & Pontrhydyfen, and Glyncorrowg to Cymmer, have recently been surveyed and photographed with a view to adding to the website soon. We have plans to add more new walks in the future.”

“We are also developing marketing plans for Afan/Margam and Swansea/Aman areas, with a view to making contact with stakeholders and organisations in those areas. ‘Bus to Adventure’ will be extended shortly to include Margam Park and Afan Forest Park.”

With a programme in the pipeline for developing digital and printed information to give local businesses access to latest transport data for their visitors, it looks to be a busy and interesting time for BayTrans.