THE Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) is expecting major increases for some bus and coach operators this week, as nationwide rail strikes take place.
With rail workers striking for a number of reasons this week, including reduced pay and job cuts, millions of people are suffering disruption with 80 per cent of trains cancelled and a spike in road congestion.
With the majority of Transport for Wales (TfW) services suspended in North Wales today (June 21), Thursday (June 23) and Saturday (June 25), this is leading to alternative methods of public transport dealing with the fallout of passengers.
This is a result of industrial action resulting from the dispute between RMT and Network Rail.
Despite TfW not being in a dispute with RMT, the industrial action means they are unable to operate rail services on Network Rail infrastructure.
A Confederation of Passenger Transport spokesperson said: “Buses and coaches will be running as normal throughout the planned rail strikes this week.
“Both play a vital role in connecting people with work, education and social activities, with over four million passengers travelling every day.”
The CPT represent around 900 members from the bus and coach industries, in order to secure a beneficial working environment.
Their spokesperson continued: “Demand for buses and coaches will increase over the coming days, with some operators reporting an 85 per cent increase in bookings for scheduled journeys.
“We encourage local authorities to give priority to buses and coaches on major travel routes to help reduce congestion.
“CPT members are adding as much capacity to their services as they can but it is not possible to meet all the demand from the rail network as our drivers are fully deployed on existing services.
“Those looking to travel by coach this week are encouraged to book as early as possible so operators can plan ahead effectively.
“People who need to travel can check the Traveline website to find a bus or coach service to get them to where they need to go.”
READ MORE:
How North Wales will be affected by the upcoming train strikes
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here