Key Flintshire bus route set to be axed

A key bus service which provides a lifeline for those with no access to transport in South Flintshire is to be cut after the county council said it can’t commit to subsidising the service any longer.

From April 1 the DB1 Arriva Buses Wales service which currently runs between Chester and Mold will cease to operate.

A new service operated by Stagecoach will take over part of the route from April 2 but the Flintshire section from Higher Kinnerton to Hope, Caergwrle, Llanfynydd Cymau, Treuddyn, Nercwys, Mold will be withdrawn.

The new service comes after Stagecoach was awarded the contract by Cheshire West & Chester Council following a recent procurement exercise.

Flintshire County Council said it was unable to commit any funding to the subsidised service “given the current financial climate.”

The local authority had previously funded the Flintshire leg of the DB1 route between Chester and Mold,

The DB1 service will be re-numbered 61 and operate between Chester, Chester – Handbridge – Westminster Park – Dodleston – Higher Kinnerton (Bennetts Lane).

Arriva’s DB2 service between Chester, Handbridge, Curzon Park, Saltney Ferry is also being axed, it is not being replaced.

The Handbridge element will be catered for by service 62 (a variation to service 61)

DB4 will operate as it does now between Chester, Blacon, Saughall and Deeside Industrial Park (Monday to Friday only)

A spokesperson for Flintshire County Council said:

“Options are currently being developed in consultation with the Community Councils for the provision of alternative community based transport services in response to the loss of the regular bus services.

A new community minibus service also operates through Cymau, Llanfynydd, Treuddyn and Leeswood to Broughton shopping park twice each week.

The number 40 bus service operated by Townlynx Ltd from Mold through Treuddyn, Llanfynydd and Cymau to Wrexham remains unaffected by these changes and continues to be subsidised by Flintshire County Council.”