Bus services to be reinstated between Talbot Green and Bridgend

Bus services between Talbot Green and Bridgend will be reinstated from April 20, in order to serve the communities of Pontyclun, Llanharry, Llanharan and Brynna on Mondays to Saturdays.

Due to the current Coronavirus national emergency, First Cymru and NAT Group bus services were removed between Talbot Green and Bridgend, leaving several communities with no service.

The Council has been working closely with Bridgend County Borough Council to see if any service could be reinstated and, as a result, a revised service between Pontypridd and Bridgend via the Royal Glamorgan Hospital will run from Monday, April 20. It will run every two hours in both directions, serving the communities that were left without a service and providing a vital link for NHS staff.

The first journey of the day will leave Pontypridd Bus Station at 6.20am, arriving at Bridgend Bus Station at 7.43am. The final full service of the day will leave Pontypridd at 4.20pm and arrive in Bridgend at 5.43pm – however, a Pontypridd-Talbot Green service will depart at 5.30pm and arrive at 6.01pm.

A full timetable outlining all journey times will shortly be published on the Traveline Cymru website – available at www.traveline.cymru.

Councillor Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Cabinet Member with responsibility for Highways and Transportation, said: “I’m pleased that Officers, working with colleagues at Bridgend County Borough Council and local bus operators, have been able to re-establish bus services for Pontyclun, Llanharry, Llanharan and Brynna from Monday.

“While residents should only be travelling and using public transport for essential journeys, the reinstatement of these bus services will be invaluable for those who are permitted to travel at this time – including key workers who are providing a range of essential services.”

NAT Group Managing Director Adam Keen added: “Following several requests from customers, we have agreed to begin running the 404 all the way through to Bridgend again from this Monday.

“This alteration will enable the key workers and essential travellers who contacted us to make their journeys. This is just one of the many variations we have made to our service in response to the current COVID-19 outbreak.

“We are pleased that we could help and once again would like to thank all our drivers and background staff for making our journeys possible.”