Record passengers on Sherpa Wyddfa bus service

The latest monthly figures show that a record 72,296 people travelled on the Sherpa’r Wyddfa bus network in the Eryri area.

As the industry celebrates ‘Catch the Bus Month’ during September, figures for the summer show that August was the first month where more than 70,000 passengers have used the Sherpa’r Wyddfa.

Since the Sherpa network was re-designed and the new-look services officially launched in 2022, the numbers of passengers have consistently risen. Indeed, the bus services has seen a 79% increase in passengers when compared to the pre-Covid period.

Councillor Dafydd Meurig, Cyngor Gwynedd Cabinet Member for Environment said:

“Careful planning was carried out when the Sherpa’r Wyddfa bus service was re-designed to ensure that it offers both vital daily journeys for local people along with an important travel resource for people visiting the area.

“Working together with several partners, we are delighted to confirm that the Sherpa continues to offer an excellent network of bus services to transport people around the Eryri area in a sustainable way.

“Delivering a convenient, dependable and affordable bus network is a priority for Cyngor Gwynedd and we have recently completed a county-wide review of our services with a view of delivering the best possible services with the resources available.

“The latest passenger numbers for the Sherpa show what can be achieved when we work together with partners and plan routes that meet the needs of local people and those who visit the area.

“We would like to encourage those who can travel by bus to do so whether this is on a regular or less frequent basis. This helps make local bus services as sustainable as possible from a financial and environmental basis as well as supporting the case for further enhancements.”

Following Cyngor Gwynedd’s extensive review of the county’s bus network, new timetables have been introduced wherever possible with standardised ticket prices based on distances to offer a fairer Service across the county. The Council has also worked hard to ensure integrated services that help to encourage more people to leave the car at home and make the most of the bus services.

The Sherpa’r Wyddfa service is run by Cyngor Gwynedd in conjunction with Transport for Wales, Conwy County Borough Council and Eryri National Park. For further information about Sherpa’r Wyddfa visit www.sherparwyddfa.cymru

Cyngor Gwynedd acknowledges and appreciates the support and input of all the key stakeholders which includes the operators themselves and the Welsh Government which contributes significantly towards the level of service it is possible to provide.