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Ways to explore Wales while staying green this summer

27 Aug 2009 10:54 AM

 

If you’re planning on taking a break in Wales over the next few weeks, there’s one way in which you can make sure that you reduce your carbon footprint and explore more of the local area at the same time.

The Welsh Assembly Government has supported many sustainable transport schemes in Wales which provide a vital link for visitors during the summer months and reduce the use of cars in some of our most popular holiday destinations.

Pembrokeshire Greenways

Pembrokeshire Greenways is an initiative which has been working for over eight years to encourage local residents and visitors, of all abilities, to access the coast and countryside by sustainable modes of transport through walking, cycling, bus and train travel.

The coastal bus services run up and down the National Park coastline, ensuring that the entire length of the 186 mile (299km) Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail, from St Dogmaels to Amroth, is accessible by public transport. The buses which run 7 days a week from May to September are user friendly, walkers can flag the buses down along the coast road and allow passengers to take dogs, surf boards and buggies on board. They also enable visitors to walk the coast path in one direction without having to re-trace their steps, an advantage to car travel

A further development of Pembrokeshire’s coastal buses for 2009 is that four of the coastal buses have been replaced with brand new fully accessible vehicles, all of which will run on recycled vegetable oil which is sourced and recycled locally in Pembrokeshire. A further innovation has been the new Havenlink water transport link. This was piloted in 2008 and extended into 2009.  Vessels provide journeys for passengers in the Milford Haven estuary and link with the coastal bus network. These vessels also run on recycled vegetable oil.

For more information log on to the Pembrokeshire Greenways website  

The Snowdon Sherpa

You can also forget about driving and focus on the scenery when you use the Snowdon Sherpa bus service in Snowdonia. Sherpa buses enable you to relax, enjoy the scenery and the charm of Snowdonia's towns and villages. The Snowdon Sherpa Day ticket allows you to hop on and off the Snowdon Sherpa network all day as many times as you like (on the day of purchase). They are valid between Bethesda / Llanberis / Llanrwst / Porthmadog and Caernarfon. You can buy the ticket for £4.00 (£2.00 child) on the bus. The Sherpa is an initiative provided by Snowdonia Green Key, a partnership focusing on sustainable transport networks within the Snowdonia National Park.  For more information log on to the Snowdonia Green Key website 

The Gower Explorer

The Gower Explorer is both a local bus service and a popular service for visitors. The same buses that take local people for a shopping or business trip into Swansea, collect visitors from Swansea's city centre and suburbs for the beach, to the start of superb walking routes, to several heritage attractions or local inn and restaurants for a good lunch, whilst for many people the scenic bus journey itself is the main focus of an enjoyable day's sightseeing. You can buy a bargain day ticket from the bus driver costing as little as £3.70 for a Day Explorer which covers travel on almost the whole Gower AONB Explorer network as well as local travel to and from the centre or suburbs of Swansea.  More information available on the Countrygoer website

The Beacons Bus

The Beacons Bus is a network of specially commissioned buses that runs from major towns and cities bringing you into Brecon in the morning. The buses then run on various routes around the National Park before returning home via Brecon at the end of the day. Whether you’re planning a trip to the Brecon Beacons or are already there, Beacons Bus is ideal for a car free, stress free day out. It operates every Sunday and Bank Holiday from 24th May - 27th September in 2009. Beacons Bus is 10 years old this year! You can join the party! Cafes, tearooms, pubs and attractions along the routes are offering passengers special discounts. Just ask for a leaflet when you're on the bus.  More information is available on the Brecon Beacons website

Related Links

Public Transport: We want to develop a Transport Strategy which maximises the contribution of transport right across the economic, social and environmental agenda.
Visit Wales is the Welsh Assembly Government's tourism team, within the Department for Heritage.
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the world.