Save School Transport campaign continues amid growing concern from parents
With school transport cuts due to come into force in September 2025, the Save the School Transport in RCT campaign is continuing to highlight serious concerns from parents and families across the region. Fears include rising school absenteeism, safety risks for children, and financial strain on low-income families.
The campaign, led by local parents, has gathered over 3,000 petition signatures and conducted surveys and walk-to-school trials. Their findings have been submitted to the Welsh Government.
An urgent public meeting will take place on Wednesday, 13 August at 4 PM in the YMa building, Pontypridd, to discuss the next steps and ongoing action.
Stagecoach South Wales is the first bus operator to sign up to the scheme designed
to get younger people to use buses.
Bus operator says it will play a ‘crucial role’ in helping to connect young people
across South Wales.
Stagecoach South Wales is the first bus operator to pledge its support for the new Young
Persons Fare initiative which comes into effect from 1 September.
The Welsh Government officially announced the scheme last month with Stagecoach keen
to support the roll-out of the new pricing system which it says will help connect young people
with places and support them with education, training and employment activities.
From the 1 September, 16–21-year-olds with a valid mytravelpass card will be able to travel
on Stagecoach South Wales bus services for just £1 for a single journey. Young people can
now apply for a free mytravelpass card, which is essential to benefit from the Welsh
Government scheme.
Martin Gibbon, Stagecoach South Wales, Managing Director said: “We’re incredibly excited
to be the first major bus operator in South Wales to sign-up to the initiative and we know that
it will play a crucial role in helping young people to move around South Wales amid the cost-
of-living crisis. Stagecoach is at the heart of the community, and we want people to know
that when it comes to travel, we’ve got you.
“Our services play an integral role in connecting people to places and with loved ones and
this will help young people access employment opportunities, training at things like college
or university as well as leisure activities. We look forward to
welcoming young people onboard and helping them to enjoy
reliable and efficient journeys.”
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: “It’s great to see
Stagecoach sign up for the £1 bus fare for young people, which will offer affordable bus
travel to help them access education, training, employment, and leisure from September.
Cutting the cost of travel for young people and providing better transport for all is one of our
top priorities. I would encourage all those between 16 and 21 years old who haven’t already
got a My Travel Pass to apply now to make sure they can take advantage of the £1 bus fare
from September.”
Executive Director for Regional Transport and Integration at Transport for Wales, Lee
Robinson said: “We’re thrilled to see the launch of this scheme working in partnership with
Welsh Government and operators across Wales. Initiatives like this are a great way of
encouraging young people to use public transport.”
The changes follow updated service times from Stagecoach which will see improved
connectivity for customers travelling around South Wales.
Among those to benefit will be those travelling between Blackwood and Newport who will
benefit from an extra bus each hour while customers travelling to Tesco in Pontymister can
hop on the number 56 service with the new times making journeys more convenient. The
change follows collaborative working with Caerphilly County Borough Council and the wider
region.
And there’s good news for those enjoying an evening out in Cardiff with the X3 timetable
amended to offer a later service which means revellers can make the most of the evening.
The 21:15 journey from Pontypool to Cardiff will now leave at 21:32, and the 22:25 journey
from Cardiff to Pontypool will now depart at 22.40. The 132 service will also have a later
departure time from the city on its journey towards the Rhondda Valleys.
Those wishing to travel by train in Porth will also be able to access the train station with
better connectivity on the 132 service, with timetable improvements in both the morning and
evening service offering better connectivity to train arrivals and departures. This will be aided
by the Rhondda Fach Connector ticket, making journeys for customers much easier.
The 132 Stagecoach service is now running up to every 30 minutes between Maerdy and
Tylorstown, accompanied by the 124, 155, 170 and 172 on this corridor, still offering up to six
buses an hour.
Full details on how to apply for a mytravelpass are available here:
https://mytravelpass.tfw.wales/
Those wanting to know about Stagecoach services in South Wales can be found here: Bus
Journey Planner | Find Bus Routes | Stagecoach
Stagecoach South Wales £1 Fare Scheme (Bus Operator Story)
Main Offer:
From September 1, young people aged 16–21 with a MyTravelPass can travel for £1 per journey on Stagecoach services.
How It Helps Parents and School Runs:
- Offers affordable travel for post-16 students commuting to college, sixth form, or training.
- Could help families impacted by school transport cuts offset some costs if the child qualifies.
- Encourages public transport use, improving connectivity and reducing traffic.
- Still a financial burden: £1 each way = £10 a week, around £400 per academic year – not sustainable for many low-income families.
Benefits Highlighted by Stagecoach:
- Better evening and rural connections.
- Improved bus frequencies (e.g., on the 132 service).
- Support from taxpayers through the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales.
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