Swansea’s seafront open top buses will not be returning this year says bus company

The company launched their Cymru Coaster service back in May 2021 with dedicated vehicles along the picturesque Swansea Bay seafront as well as a service from Trecco Bay along the Porthcawl sea front to Rest Bay.

In 2022 two further open top routes were added at Aberavon beach and between popular Pembrokeshire coastal towns Tenby and Saundersfoot.

However First Cymru have now revealed that only the Tenby service will resume in April, with the Mumbles and Aberavon routes not returning this year.

The Porthcawl service is also in doubt, although a final decision has yet to be made.

A spokesperson for First Cymru said: “We have been reviewing the Coaster services, conscious that during our ongoing recruitment campaign to tackle driver shortages we must prioritise provision of a reliable service on our year-round routes in the months ahead. Hence the unfortunate withdrawal of the Swansea and Aberavon open-top buses for this coming summer. We have, though, been working to improve services to Mumbles, adding standard double deckers to three routes.

“We have yet to confirm the Coaster service in Porthcawl but can confirm the Tenby Coaster will be  operating seven days a week from April 2^nd through to mid-September.”

A number of people were injured aboard the Mumbles service in August 2021 after the open top vehicle struct overhanging trees on the route.

(Lead image: First Cymru)