Transport for Wales takes another step forward with the expansion of the fflecsi bus service to yet another part of Wales. In partnership with Transport for Wales, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and Stagecoach in South Wales, Stagecoach services E2 and E4 will be replaced by the new flexible bus service on June 14, 2021. Fflecsia offers a much more convenient bus service across a wider area from morning to night. You pay on the bus like any other service - the main difference is that you book the bus through the app, by phone or by visiting the website.
Thanks to the booking system, fflecsi bus passengers are guaranteed a seat, which helps in taking physical distance measures. Cllr Dai Davies , Deputy Leader / Executive Member - Regeneration and Economic Development at Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council added that they are delighted to partner with Transport for Wales on the new fflecsi service here in Blaenau Gwent. As they come out of the Covid-19 restrictions and see an increased demand for public transportation, fflecsi will provide peace of mind to passengers. The buses are brand new and the service allows residents to get out in an easier way, with direct connections to Rassau Industrial Estate, the local shops and Aneurin Bevan Hospital.
“Fflecsi is a very exciting trial for us as we continue to transform public transport in Wales. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has had a direct impact on public transportation and as we progress, the safety of our colleagues and customers remains our top priority. This gives us the opportunity to look at a new way of public transport and we are now running fflecsi pilots across Wales and it is great to see it expanded to Blaenau Gwent. ”
In addition to the two new buses, significant investments will be made in bus stop technology and infrastructure to ensure that passengers have access to real-time information in key locations. The fflecsi buses will run in two zones and will allow residents to work on time for a 06:00 am service to reach Rassau Ind Estate and Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan - neither of which is currently served by the public transport and fflecsi will also connect to the last train arriving at Ebbw Vale train station. There will also be a connection with strategic bus route X4 for connections to Nevill Hall Hospital, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil and Abergavenny.
“Demand-responsive transportation has the potential to quickly launch new technology-driven public transportation solutions where the need is greatest, and to complement our existing bus services in Blaenau Gwent. The TfW fflecsi service has shown how demand-responsive transportation (DRT) plays a critical role. can play in transforming public transport in other parts of Wales, including the fflecsi 152 service in the Rhondda Valleys, and we are delighted to play a part in delivering this innovative new service for TfW and Blaenau Gwent Council. We look forward to starting this new flexible service and learning from customer feedback and operational matters ”.
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