O Gwmpas Ac O Gwmpas (3)
Hmm - it doesn't translate very well!
One of the quirks (one of the many quirks) of our so-called United Kingdom is that, even before devolution, there have been subtle differences between the four nations of the Union. One is quite weird. Here, for example is the Queen's Coat of Arms.
There are assorted lions (of England), one lion of Scotland, the Harp of Ireand and the Unicorn of Scotland. But when Her Maj is in Scotland, she has a different Coat of Arms.
It has a different motto, more Scottish lions and the saltire flag. But neither of them has any symbol of Wales. That is because Wales is not a Kingdom or even a Queendom; it is a Principality, ruled by a Prince (of Wales, don't y'know!) and he has his own Coat.
Notice he three feathers and the Welsh Dragon in addition to stuff to show he is the Monarch's son. And when Charles travels to Scotland he stops being the Prince of Wales - he becomes the Duke of Rothesay and The Lord of the Isles and he, too, has a separate Coat.
It's all rather silly these days, but far too deeply ingrained into our nations' (plural) ceremonial to change.
Whilst England hasn't ever seemed to come up with a Transport Policy, positive things have happened beyond Hadrian's wall and over Offa's Dyke.
Hmm - it doesn't translate very well!
One of the quirks (one of the many quirks) of our so-called United Kingdom is that, even before devolution, there have been subtle differences between the four nations of the Union. One is quite weird. Here, for example is the Queen's Coat of Arms.
It's all rather silly these days, but far too deeply ingrained into our nations' (plural) ceremonial to change.
Whilst England hasn't ever seemed to come up with a Transport Policy, positive things have happened beyond Hadrian's wall and over Offa's Dyke.
One such in Wales is TrawsCymru ...
What constituted at Traws Cambria service kept changing and some routes faded from the brand whilst new ones appeared. It was a bit of a mess!
The X40 was originally scheduled to be replaced by TrawsCymru service T1/TC1 from 1 April 2012 under a contract until 31 March 2020 on offer. However it later emerged that Arriva Buses Wales intended to stop operating the X40 service, along with its share of route 550, from 26 February.Instead Arriva introduced services branded Cymru Express ...
It was still (again?) a bit of a mess.
Then the Arriva scheme went belly-up and everything was again in the melting pot. Enter the redoubtable Dr Victoria Winckler, big cheese of a Wales "think tank".
And she did.
fbb has expurgated and simplified much of her proposals and added some comments of his own. Well, he would, wouldn't he?
TrawsCymru requires a strategic, all-Wales, approach.
Wh-a-a-a-t? A National transport policy! Shock Horror!
Any new corridors should be based on robust business plans which demonstrate demand and provide for a package of measures to improve the passenger journey.
TrawsCymru should complement the rail network and not seek to compete with rail services. Where justified by demand, it should provide good connections to onward rail services, but it should not be driven by or secondary to the rail network.
Integrated transport; now there's a novel idea!
TrawsCymru services should serve intermediate bus stops as well as main towns, but should avoid detours.
Might that mean some significant town and villages were left out?
The impact of intermediate stops/detours should increase the journey duration by no more than 50% longer than by car, and ideally less (around 33% being preferable).
On Wales road network? Not likely to be achievable?
TrawsCymru should promote and accept CymruConnect (rail and bus combined) through-tickets, and action should be taken to improve the profile and performance of CymruConnect.
Why not? Vicky's call for action is justified. The scheme is not well publicised and not properly implemented.
There is no mention of CymruConnect on the TrawsCymru web site, only a one day "river" on the buses alone.
Even this is not quite as straightforward as it might be as there is no mention of the T11.
TrawsCymru services need to address passenger facilities at bus stations and passenger information, which are part of responding to passenger needs.
More about at least ONE bus station tomorrow - and its not Cardiff!
The TrawsCymru strategic board should focus on strategic issues with corridor delivery groups dealing with operational matters, on a formal basis. Both groups should have strengthened user representation.
A Strategy! Always a good idea - but see past "strategies"!
Despite some niggles, Ms Winkler's plan has greated a viable and well promoted network as we shall see tomorrow.
We have a standard livery independent of operator ...
... so we can all play "guess who runs THIS bus? (top, Lloyds; botrtom, Stagecoach)
And, despite fears that it would be chaos, we have free travel for all at weekends. Now THAT is an achievement!
As they say, in translation from the French:-
Hir byw y gwahaniaeth!
Positive things are happening in the Principality.
Ychydig yn fwy o Gymru yfory.
The TrawsCymru strategic board should focus on strategic issues with corridor delivery groups dealing with operational matters, on a formal basis. Both groups should have strengthened user representation.
A Strategy! Always a good idea - but see past "strategies"!
Despite some niggles, Ms Winkler's plan has greated a viable and well promoted network as we shall see tomorrow.
We have a standard livery independent of operator ...
And, despite fears that it would be chaos, we have free travel for all at weekends. Now THAT is an achievement!
As they say, in translation from the French:-
Hir byw y gwahaniaeth!
Positive things are happening in the Principality.
Ychydig yn fwy o Gymru yfory.
Next TrawsCymru blog : Wednesday 24th July
Integrated ticketing in Wales took a step backward a couple of years ago when Arriva Trains Wales unilaterally restricted availability on buses of the Explore Wales Rail/bus tickets to just four operators, First, Stagecoach, Arriva and Cardiff Bus.
ReplyDeleteAt a stroke this removed use of most of the Traws Cymru network from the ticket as operators such as Lloyds were excluded.
Given that one of the purposes of Traws Cymru is to fill gaps in the Welsh rail network and given that the Welsh government now controls Traws Cymru and the Welsh railways this should be an easy win.
It doesn't control all the Welsh railways though - for instance the South Wales main line is largely Great Western while Virgin have a toehold in North Wales. Conversely, the bus concessionary scheme can be usedc on certain rail journeys such as the Cambrian Coast line (albeit mostly in winter only).
ReplyDelete