Transport for Wales (TfW) has announced plans to expand the ‘fflecsi’ minibus service in Pembrokeshire, in order to improve communities’ access to demand-responsive transport.
The expanded scheme will be delivered by TfW in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council, with the new fflecsi zone replacing the current 315 bus service.
The fflecsi Pembrokeshire service is a demand responsive bus service and operates without a fixed route and timetable. It operates in a zone, in which passengers can be picked up and dropped off at any point within a set perimeter.
Rather than passengers waiting at a bus stop, they can book a journey in advance using the fflecsi app, or by calling a designated hotline.
It is hoped that the new route will connect villages and hamlets in the Dale Peninsula to Milford Haven and Haverfordwest, and that the service will be integrated with wider public transport routes.
Andrew Sherrington, head of bus network and service development, said: “fflecsi has grown to become a dependable public transport choice in rural Pembrokeshire and its expansion will now allow more people across the county to access the service for everyday journeys and to make important travel connections.
“Passenger numbers continue to grow and in August and September of this year, figures were more than double what they were for those months in 2021.
“We know that fflecsi is highly valued by the rural communities it serves across Pembrokeshire, and it is a vital part of TfW’s commitment to providing a multi-modal transport network that encourages more people to make use of public transport.”
The expansion is expected to begin on Monday 30 January and will form a link with the fflecsi service in north-west Pembrokeshire, with the council reporting that this has seen an increase in passenger demand since it entered service in September 2020.
When combined, the two zones will cover a large portion of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and provide both residents and visitors with a more accessible and sustainable transport alternative.
