Monmouthshire's web site (sorry, "monmouthshire"; capital letters apparently unnecessary) is very encouraging about its public transport information.
All of the council’s bus stops are installed for the benefit of all bus passengers and to help provide a comfortable and enjoyable bus journey. If any bus stops, shelters or timetable are damaged or need cleaning contact Monmouthshire passenger transport unit on 01633 644728 or email
publictransport@monmouthshire.gov.uk
But now, the Bad News!
But now, the Bad News!
Good! The stop called "Castell" is here ...
... ideally placed and squeaky clean as you would expect from the website hint.
A quick check of the detailed timetables suggests hat the 73 and 74 now go no further than the Thomas Street bus station ...
... which don't stop there. Even if they did, the information isn't much good as the tables are wholly out of date, as per the current C3 below.
There are timtables for 755 and 761 ...
... which do appear to stop there but which are also out of date; although only by a few minutes on some "peak" journeys.
Google Maps maintains the myth of 707, but is otherwise just about OK although the actual stop location is not marked on their Chepstow map.
Meanwhile, about 50 yards along Bridge Street is another car park and the Tourist Information Centre. Outside are two bus stop poles unadorned by flags.
Indeed; there is a timetable frame which contains a timetable for very small people. Borrowers? Fraggles? The Inebriated? Whoever it may concern, it is for the Chepstow "Shuttle", operated by Dukes Travel, in Summer 2001.
Welcome to Chepstow
fbb's response (and Paul's):-
He-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-elp!!
Next mixed bag blog : Saturday 25th April
Its such a shame how the publicity standard has dropped in Monmouthshire in recent years and also in neighbouring Powys, an area which includes the Brecon Beacons National Park. A recent article indicated that many foreign visitors to GB use public transport in such areas and whilst they tended to obtain information in advance from the web this does need to be accurate!!!! Also in an area like this, where from my experience phone signals are often poor or non existent, it needs to be baked up by accurate information on the ground.
ReplyDeleteI began to get to know the area a couple of years after deregulation. At that time Abergavenny bus station had a TIC in in the former enquiry office which had supplies of Stagecoach leaflets and a Wye Valley walking guide with comprehensive timetables. It was noticeable however that other 'independent' services whilst operating (e.g. a minibus firm on local services) were not publicised until Monmouthshire thankfully started producing a comprehensive book.
Brecon TIC (in Powys but close by when staying in the area) was also a reliable source of timetables and latterly Powys's own publicity.
After a gap of some years we returned in late July 2013 to find that things had deteriorated. Brecon had a few of the parks own leaflets extolling use of public transport. Individual timetable leaflets (photocopies from traveline etc) could also be supplied but the comprehensive book had gone. A local information point at Talybont was also lacking bus information and the village post office in Llangynidyr complained that they had been unable to get copies of the timetable since it had last altered! The Parks own leaflets for their tourist network were already in short supply (first week of the school holidays!!) but the main surprise to me was a complete lack of any Stagecoach publicity in either Brecon or Abergavenny!!
Our next port of call (we were using a hire boat on the canal as a base) was Abergavenny. I was one of three people asking for bus timetables to which the answer was that the new booklet hadn't come out yet (it never has!!!!). At a pinch the staff would print off a specific timetable if you paid a fee for each page. A subsequent letter with SAE to an operator of several local services did not get the courtesy of any response!!!
What has happened in this area is a shame.