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First Cymru
Alexander Dennis Enviro200inMaestegin 2014
ParentFirstGroup
HeadquartersSwansea
Service areaSouth West Wales
Service typeBus & coach services
Depots6
Fleet208 (April 2024)
Chief executiveDoug Claringbold
Websitefirstbus.co.uk/cymru

First Cymru[1]is an operator of bus services inSouth West Wales.It is a subsidiary ofFirstGroupwith its headquarters inSwansea.

History

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PlaxtonbodiedVolvo B7RinCardiffin March 2006
Wright StreetCaroperating anFtrmetro Swanseajourney in February 2014

In 1987,South Wales Transportwas sold during theprivatisationof theNational Bus Companyin amanagement buy out.[2]

In February 1990, along with Brewers Motor Services and United Welsh Coaches, South Wales Transport was sold toBadgerline.[3]All initially retained their trading names but following Badgerline merging withGRT Groupin April 1995 to formFirstBus,all Welsh operations were rebranded as First Cymru.

Operations

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The company operates 98 bus services in the South West Wales area, in and betweenHaverfordwest,Pembroke,Tenby,Carmarthen,Ammanford,Llanelli,Swansea,Pontardawe,Neath,Port Talbot,Maesteg,BridgendandCardiff.Their network used to be larger and included destinations such asBrecon,LlandoveryandCardigan.

In addition to internal South Wales work, First Cymru also operate theTrawsCymruT1 service betweenCarmarthenandAberystwythunder contract to the Welsh Government usingYutongelectric vehicles owned by them.

First Cymru branding was previously used across the network. However, local 'Swansea and the Bay', 'Western Welsh', 'Neath Port Talbot' and 'Bridgend and County' branding is gradually being applied to services in its sub-areas.

Swansea University services

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First Cymru has provided bespoke services for students ofSwansea Universityfor a number of years. The original service, known as 'Bright Orange Bus' linked Hendrefoilan Student Village to Singleton Campus and the City Centre. The service was expanded to the Bay Campus when it opened in 2015 and renamed 'Campus to Campus'. A new route was also introduced between the two campuses viaSketty,UplandsandSwansea railway station.The network was redesigned and rebranded 'Unibws' following the closure of Hendrefoilan Student Village in the summer of 2023. Newly numbered services 90-94 link the two campuses with the city centre, Sketty, Uplands and new student accommodation in theParc Tawe,railway station and Morfa Road areas, with service 91 operating 24-hours a day during term time.

Park and Ride

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First Cymru operatespark & ridesites, which are located atFabian WayandLandoreinSwansea.

Cymru Clipper

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In 2014, First Cymru introduced the Cymru Clipper network of longer distance routes, spanning from Carmarthen & Ammanford to Cardiff.

Services X1, X2,[4]X3, X5, X6, X7, X11, X13, are encompassed into this network. Dedicated vehicles in blue livery operate these services, with the majority of them offering WiFi and leather seats as standard.

Swansea Metro

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Optare Versa49004 inPorthcawlin May 2017

First Cymru operate a bus rapid transport route betweenSingleton Hospital,Swansea University,Swansea City Centre andMorriston Hospitalas Swansea Metro. On 28 August 2015 the fleet ofWright StreetCararticulated buses that operated the service were replaced byWright StreetLitebuses and were rebranded to red metro branding.[5][6]

TrawsCymru

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First Cymru have held the contract for the T1 service betweenCarmarthenandAberystwythsince 2014, whenArriva Buses Walespulled out of Mid Wales. In 2023, First began operatingWelsh GovernmentownedYutongelectric vehicles on this service from a bespoke depot inCarmarthen.

Cymru Coaster

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In May 2021, First Cymru launched two new open top bus routes in Swansea and Porthcawl:[7]

[9]
A further two open-top coaster services were launched in June 2022:

  • Aberavon CoasterPort Talbot Bus Station to Aberavon Seafront
  • Tenby CoasterTenby to Saundersfoot

[10]

In 2023 just one open top service ran in Tenby.

Previous services

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Coach services

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First Cymru used to have its own coaching division and operated school services,National Expresscontracts and interurban services. Special services were also operated toAbergavennymarket andOakwood Theme ParkandTenbyin the summer.

Swansea to Cardiff shuttle service

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First Cymru operated an hourly shuttle service betweenCardiff,Bridgend Designer OutletandSwansea,which was known as the 'Shuttle100'. From 2010-15, this service was part of theGreyhound UKnetwork.[11][12]Following the demise of Greyhound this service was renumbered X10.[13]The service was suspended during theCOVID-19pandemic and has not since been reinstated, marking the end of First Cymru's coaching operations.

Greyhound UK

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In 2010, the Swansea-Cardiff shuttle service became part of theGreyhound UKnetwork and was operated by coaches with leather seats and additional legroom, which could be booked online for the first time. In 2013, the service was extended toNewport,BristolandBristol Airport.In March 2015, the Cardiff to Bristol Airport leg of the route was withdrawn and in December 2015 the Greyhound UK brand was dropped. This was the last Greyhound service to operate in the UK.National Expresslaunched its 216 service between Cardiff and Bristol Airport immediately after the withdrawal of the Greyhound service.

National Express

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Until July 2012, when the contract was lost toEdwards Coaches,First Cymru were aNational Expresscontractor and operated services on routes:[14]

Fleet

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As of April 2024, the First Cymru fleet consisted of 208 buses based from depots inBridgend,Haverfordwest,Port Talbot,Tycroes,Carmarthen andSwansea.[citation needed]Depots were previously located inLlanelli,Pontardawe,MaestegandCardiff.

See also

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References

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  1. ^Companies House extract company no 133884First Cymru Buses Limited formerly The South Wales Transport Company Limited
  2. ^NBC sale at halfway stageCommercial Motor16 May 1987 page 21
  3. ^Names remain the sameCommercial Motor1 March 1990 page 20
  4. ^"X2 Cymru Clipper to go via Cardiff Bay from May 12".The Bridgend and Porthcawl GEM.Retrieved16 August2021.
  5. ^First Cymru announces Swansea's bendy bus services to be scrappedSouth Wales Evening Post24 June 2015
  6. ^"Three depots and Swansea ftr axed in First cutbacks"Busesissue 725 August 2015 page 6
  7. ^"Cymru Coasters | South & West Wales | First Bus".Archived fromthe originalon 26 May 2021.
  8. ^Gregory, Rhys (3 June 2021)."Open-top bus rides come to Porthcawl".Retrieved16 August2021.
  9. ^Jackson, Peter (25 May 2021)."First Cymru returns to open-top bus operation".CBW.Retrieved16 August2021.
  10. ^"All aboard! First Cymru launches open-top bus rides this Summer | First Bus".
  11. ^Greyhound has changed[permanent dead link]First South & West Wales 17 November 2015
  12. ^Swansea to Cardiff Greyhound services to be scrapped from this weekWales Online2 December 2015
  13. ^Greyhound brand in the UK comes to an end[permanent dead link]Route One16 December 2015
  14. ^Edwards ExpandsCoach & Bus Week2 May 2012
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