Anomaly on Chirk bus route

The people who travel from Chirk into Wrexham on the number 2 services have to fork out £6.20 for a return trip or £25 for a weekly pass.

But those who are picked up a couple of miles down the road at Newbridge - by the same bus - pay just £4.50 return and only £14 for a week thanks to the Wrexham Saver Pass.

Although Chirk is within the Wrexham County Borough boundary, when passengers questioned bus company Arriva they were told the anomaly was because the Chirk bus was on the Oswestry to Wrexham route and is an Arriva Midlands vehicle not an Arriva Wales one.

A local councillor who has taken the matter up was flabbergasted by the explanation.

Councillor Terry Evans said: "That is absolutely ridiculous. The bus that picks up passengers in Chirk is exactly the same bus that a few minutes later picks up in Newbridge where people save almost £2 a day or can get a weekly ticket for less than half price."

He said that Chirk people and those living along the Ceiriog valley, which is also in the Wrexham borough, were being unfairly penalised.

"A lot of people use the service to get into work in Wrexham. If you are on the minimum wage that is a lot of money over 12 months."

"We are not looking after our young people and those who depend on the bus as their only transport. If you an an apprentice for instance, that sort of cost to get into work is taking up a lot of your wage. If you are a teenager and you want to go into Wrexham to the cinema or the shops then how can you afford the cost."

"We need to ensure that Chirk and Ceiriog Valley are moved into the Welsh Saver Zone so passengers can purchase a Wrexham Day Saver Ticket. And stop this inequality."

Councillor Jones and Welsh Assembly member, Susan Elan Jones, have written to Welsh Assembly member and transport secretary, Ken Skates, about the inequality after being told that the buses were run by commercial operators.

Mr Skates said he was urging all bus operators to work with the Welsh government to make saver tickets available.