CHANGES are being made to a number of bus services across Newport and Gwent over the coming weeks.

Bus firm Stagecoach, which operates a number of services across the region, has announced plans to reduce the frequency of some services.

Announcing the changes, a spokesman for the travel operator said that it comes as a result of the ongoing covid-19 pandemic.

A post on the Stagecoach website revealed that due to the continued covid crisis, the firm is “having to operate a different level of service compared to normal.”

But, in a bid to increase reliability, some services can expect to see a reduction in bus frequency.

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It has been confirmed that these changes will come into effect from Sunday, September 5.

The full list of changes can be found below, though in our area, alterations can be expected on services in Newport itself, along with Blackwood, Torfaen, and Caerphilly.

Across the rest of Wales, services are also being reduced in Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, and Porth.

A spokesman for Stagecoach said: “We are working closely with the Welsh Government and local authorities to maintain the widest network of services possible within the current restrictions and will continue to monitor these services.”

Read more local news here

Full list of Stagecoach timetable changes

Newport/Blackwood

From September 5

  • Service 26: Dedicated school/college services will be replaced with school and college journeys. More journeys will serve Nantgarw college in the evening.
  • Service 50: Dedicated college services will be replaced with college journeys. Journeys towards Newport will serve Queensway Rail Station. Some timetable changes on the 11pm service from Newport.
  • Service 95/96: Some timetable changes for school journeys.
  • Service 151: Service will run up to every 12 minutes on weekdays and 15 minutes on Saturdays with some timetable changes to evening services. Dedicated college services will be replaced with college journeys. Journeys towards Newport will serve Queensway Rail Station.
  • Service R1/56: Journeys towards Newport will serve Queensway Rail Station.
  • Service X15: College journey has been added back into the timetable.

Caerphilly

From September 5

  • Service 50: Journeys towards Newport will now serve Queensway Rail Station. Some timetable changes on the 11pm service from Newport.
  • Service 56: Service will now stop at Queensway Rail Station into Newport.
  • Services A/B: Timetable will run up to every 20 minutes on Monday to Saturday.
  • Service C: Timetable will run up to every 30 minutes on Monday to Saturday.
  • Service D/G: Some timetable changes to improve connectivity with other services.

Torfaen

From September 5

  • Service 15: Service will run up to every 15 minutes on Monday to Saturday. All journeys will start and finish at Market Square. Dedicated school service will be replaced with school journeys. Timetable changes on Sunday.
  • Service 23: Timetable changes to improve reliability. All journeys will start and finish at Market Square. Dedicated school service will be replaced with school journeys.
  • Services 10/16: Some timetable changes to improve reliability. All journeys will start and finish at Market Square.
  • Services 9/12/17: All journeys will start and finish at Market Square.
  • Service 1: Service will run up to every 12 minutes with some timetable changes to evening services.
  • Service 2: Service will run up to every 30 minutes. Dedicated school service will be replaced with school journeys.
  • Service 7: Services will run up to every 15 minutes.
  • Services 6/21: Some timetable changes to improve reliability.
  • Service X24: Service will run up to every 12 minutes. Some timetable changes to improve reliability and connectivity.
  • Service X3: Timetable changes from Cardiff to Hereford to improve reliability. Dedicated school service will be replaced with school journeys. Extra bus on school days from Pontrilas to King Henry School and Abergavenny.
  • Service X4: Some timetable changes between Merthyr – Abergavenny to improve reliability.
  • Services 816/817/818/819: These services will no longer run.

Other Stagecoach services in Wales

Merthyr Tydfil

From August 29

  • Service 3: The service towards Bargoed will be re-routed due to A465 roadworks. Dedicated college service has been removed.
  • Service 25: Changes to timetable to improve reliability of the service.
  • Services 27/35/35A: The timetable will run up to every 20 minutes. The Sunday timetable will be removed.
  • Services 33/38: The Sunday timetables will be removed.
  • Service 78: The timetable will run up to every two hours.
  • Service 81: The Sunday timetable will be removed. Dedicated college service has been removed.

Aberdare

From September 2

  • Service 7/8:  Some timetable changes to improve connectivity and reliability.
  • Service 9: Timetable will run up to every 30 minutes.
  • Service 25: X evening journey has been added.
  • Services 60/61: Normal 60/61 timetable will resume as Aberdare bridge closure ends.
  • Service 172: Normal 172 timetable will resume as Maerdy Mountain re-opens.

Porth

From September 5

  • Services 120/130: Some timetable changes to improve reliability. Dedicated college services will now be replaced with college journeys.
  • Service 132: Some timetable changes to improve reliability.
  • Service 150: Service will start at Porth Morrisons towards Tonyrefail and Cwm.