BUS services in Monmouth and Chepstow are changing in a process that Newport Bus hopes will secure its routes’ long term futures.

The changes will come into effect from 1st September and will affect the 60, 63, 73, 74, 75, C1-C5 and W3-W5 services operating in Monmouth and Chepstow.

18 months ago Newport Bus stepped in to save bus services in the Severnside area when the previous operator withdrew all its operations from the region. Since then it has invested heavily in giving bus users low cost fares.

Despite maintaining the services and reducing fare costs, the number of people using the bus services has not increased enough to make them viable under the current fare structure and without changes Newport Bus would not be able to continue running them.

Newport Bus together with Monmouthshire County Council are now looking at all viable ways of making services work before taking any other action so that passengers aren’t left without the bus services they rely upon.

Morgan Stevens, Operations Director at Newport Transport, which runs Newport Bus, said: “Our customers and the quality of service we provide are extremely important to us. We understand how vital these services are to local residents. After stepping in to ensure continued services in the area, we wanted to invest in ways of growing the number of bus users so that the services were protected in the longer term and remained viable.

“To do this we significantly reduced fare costs; introduced modern, comfortable buses; and provided customers with well trained and helpful drivers. Unfortunately these low-cost, value fares haven’t stimulated the growth in bus users we need to maintain the current fare structure and unless we make changes to the way the services operate we won’t be able to continue running them, which we don’t want to happen.

“That is why we have held a number of public meetings and bus surgeries, looked carefully at the services, and introduced the minimal number of changes necessary to safeguard services. That does mean that as of 1st September there will be some increases to fares and small changes to some of the service routes. However these are being implemented so that we are able to continue operating the services and not do, what customers previously experienced, and completely withdraw from the area. We do not want this to happen and are committed to making these services work so that bus users are not left isolated and without any routes to use.”

Information is available on all of Newport Bus’ vehicles and online at www.newportbus.co.uk.