A new short film has been launched today to publicise a special ‘through ticket’ which has been created for passengers to travel from London Paddington, Reading, Swindon or Bristol Parkway to Brecon – the heart of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.
From today (28th May 2014) passengers travelling from these stations will be able to buy a combined bus and rail ticket valid for travel on the First Great Western train to Cardiff and the bus journey on the Traws Cymru T4 route from Cardiff to Brecon – the bus station which is located directly outside Cardiff train station.
The new ‘through ticket’ has been the result of a great partnership approach between Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority, Welsh Government, Visit Wales, Powys County Council, Arriva Trains Wales, First Great Western and Stagecoach in South Wales which has resulted in a truly integrated transport initiative.
Transport Minister, Edwina Hart said: “Bannau Brycheiniog National Park is a big attraction for visitors to Wales and tourists from England are a key group for us to attract. This new ticket will make it easier for people to travel direct to the park and hopefully encourage more people to use this bus service.”
Annie Lawrie Sustainable Transport Officer for Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority, said: “It’s never been so easy to get to the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park using public transport. This is the first scheme of its kind in Wales and it’s a great example of national and local transport operators and local authorities working together to deliver a better solution for our visitors from England, who love our part of the country and want a green alternative to driving their cars.”
Councillor Barry Thomas, Leader for Powys County Council said “Brecon is an important interchange and the launch of this new ticketing initiative provides the final piece in the integration jigsaw here. This ticket will make it so much easier for our visitors and the community to make an integrated rail and bus journey to and from the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.”
Passengers can ask for the special through ticket from staffed ticket offices at Paddington, Reading, Swindon and Bristol Parkway. Running times are London to Cardiff 2 hours and the bus from Cardiff to Brecon is just over 1.5 hours.
The short film has been created by Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority and has been funded by Glasu, and produced by the sustainable transport media agency Greentraveller.
You can watch the video at this link http://youtu.be/iaRQN6i_w6E
For more information about the new travel initiative please visit www.breconbeacons.org
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EDITORS’ NOTES
Bannau Brycheiniog National Park lies on the border between Mid Wales and South Wales and is a landscape that offers a legacy of unparalleled proportions. From spectacular mountain ranges, internationally renowned geology, waterfalls, market towns, bountiful wildlife, diverse recreational opportunities to the highest peak in southern Britain – Pen y Fan. It contains some of the most spectacular and distinctive upland formations in southern Britain and covers an area of 1347 sq km (520 sq miles). It was also awarded International Dark Sky Reserve status in 2013 – Wales’s first and only one of five destinations in the world to be granted the prestigious accolade.
Glasu
Derived from a welsh word, meaning “to green” or “to regenerate” Glasu supports individuals, businesses and other organisations, in developing innovative and sustainable projects. Glasu is a partnership (hosted by Powys County Council) delivering the Welsh Assembly Government’s Rural Development Programme (RDP) for Powys. Through a range of themed projects, Glasu offers R.D.P. funds to assist rural communities in improving the quality of life and prosperity in their local area. See www.glasu.org.uk for more information.
Greentraveller
Greentraveller provides new media content solutions (including video production, visitor guides, maps, apps, PR and social media campaigns) and consultancy for sustainable transport and tourism. More information: www.greentraveller.com. Greentraveller also manages the award-winning consumer site greentraveller.co.uk, which promotes hundreds of green tourism businesses and sustainable transport in the UK and Europe, as well as its Greentraveller’s Guides – online visitor destination guides that cover the entire visitor experience, including where to eat, sleep and shop, local activities and car-free travel. Greentraveller.co.uk was shortlisted as Best Online Consumer Publication (alongside the travel sections of the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and CNN International) in the 2013 British Travel Press Awards, which recognise excellence and achievement in travel writing, photography and broadcasting.