SOME fare increases and timetable changes on bus services in Monmouthshire will be introduced from the beginning of September.

Newport Bus, which operates routes in Caldicot, Chepstow and Monmouth, says the changes are needed to secure the long-term future of services.

The changes will affect services 60 Monmouth to Newport, 63 Chepstow to Cwmbran, 73 and 74 Chepstow to Newport, 75 Chepstow to Magor and the C1-C5 Chepstow town services and W3-W5 Monmouth town services.

Newport Bus stepped in 18 months ago when previous operator, Stagecoach, withdrew from the area but company bosses say that despite maintaining services and reducing fares, the number of people using them has not increased enough to make them viable under the current fare structure.

They say without the changes Newport Bus would not be able to continue running the services.

Morgan Stevens, operations director at Newport Transport, which runs Newport Bus, said: “Our customers and the quality of service we provide are extremely important to us.

“We understand how vital these services are to residents. After stepping in to ensure continued services in the area, we wanted to invest in ways of growing the number of bus users so that the services were protected in the longer term and remained viable.

“To do this we significantly reduced fare costs, introduced modern, comfortable buses and provided customers with well-trained and helpful drivers.

“Unfortunately these low-cost, value fares haven’t stimulated the growth in bus users we need to maintain the current fare structure and unless we make changes to the way the services operate we won’t be able to continue running them, which we don’t want to happen.

“That is why we have held a number of public meetings and bus surgeries, looked carefully at the services, and introduced the minimal number of changes necessary to safeguard services.

“That does mean that as of (Tuesday) September 1 there will be some increases to fares and small changes to some of the service routes. However these are being implemented so that we are able to continue operating the services and not do, what customers previously experienced, and completely withdraw from the area.

“We do not want this to happen and are committed to making these services work so that bus users are not left isolated and without any routes to use.”

Information relating to the changes is available in a specially-produced leaflet available on all Newport Bus vehicles, at its travel centre in Newport and online at www.newportbus.co.uk.

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Changes to services

60 Monmouth to Newport and 63 Cwmbran to Chepstow: Single fares outside Newport city boundary increase by 10p. Service 60 will depart from stand 18 in Market Square.

73 Chepstow to Newport via Caerwent: Adult single fare between Chepstow and Newport increases to £3.80.

74 Chepstow to Newport via Caldicot: Service will be merged with service 21 to Underwood with 30-minute frequency between Newport and Caldicot between 9am and 3pm with services extended to Chepstow at other times. Services will operate via Spytty retail part or Chepstow Road in Newport every hour. Adult fare to Newport increases to £3.80 from Chepstow and £3.60 from Caldicot.

75 Chepstow to Magor: This service will no longer serve Spytty retail park and will finish at Magor. It will not go to Sudbrook but will serve Severn Tunnel Junction and Caerwent.

C1-C5 and W3-W5 Chepstow and Monmouth town services: Single fares increased by 10p.