New drive to let the train and buses take the strain to promote eco-tourism in North Wales

The aim of the campaign by North Wales Tourism is to promote green tourism by reducing the number of cars on the roads and overcrowding at well-known hotspots during peak periods.

It’s aimed at West Midlands travellers using trains run by Transport for Wales (TfW) and Avanti West Coast.

They’re linking with bus routes operated by the long-distance TrawsCymru network and the book-a-ride fflecsi bus service along more local routes.

The idea is to provide a joined up service so people can reach their final destinations without having to drive there.

Among the bus services connecting with the rail network will be ones operating from Wrexham, Prestatyn, Betws y Coed, Pwllheli, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Barmouth.

According to Jim Jones, the Chief Executive of North Wales Tourism, it was a cost-effective option that avoided the stress of driving and parking.

He said: “We want to help people escape the city and discover the natural beauty of North Wales.

“After they’ve arrived by train, our visitors can unlock the real treasures of North Wales by bus, cycling or walking.

“The campaign involves lots of social media, posters in certain stations on the rail network and competitions and at the same time we’re collecting lots of data about rail travel into Wales.

“We do have good transport links from London and the other major conurbations and we need to make the most of them.

“The challenge has always been, when people arrive at a North Wales station, how they get to some of the key attractions without relying on a car.

“The missing piece in the jigsaw is the so-called final mile and that’s where TrawsCymru and the fflecsi bus service come in so people can reach their final destination from key, selected places. In essence, it’s all about joined up thinking.

“You go online and you book and you can then travel down the route you have chosen from one of the itineraries and there’s lots of flexibility within those routes.

“The idea is that we attract more visitors to North Wales whilst reducing the number of cars on the road to leverage all the benefits that brings in terms of the environment.

“It makes a lot of sense in every way – this is eco-tourism in action and that’s a growth area at the moment.  More and more people what to do things in a sustainable way.

“We’ve all seen the pictures of car parks overflowing at tourism hotspots during peak periods and this will help address that issue.

“We want to flag up how easy it can be to travel by rail so they can literally let the train take the strain with the help of the TrawsCymru and fflecsi bus services.

“Once people get here, there is just an incredible amount of things for visitors to see and do.

“As well as being rightly hailed as the Adventure Capital of Europe, we have breath-taking mountains and coastline and some world class attractions – not to mention our language, culture and heritage along with more official World Heritage Site per square mile than anywhere I can think of.

“More recently the rise and rise of Wrexham AFC thanks to the sprinkling of some Hollywood magic by A-listers Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney has put Wrexham in particular and North Wales in general on the global map like never before.

“It’s been a gamechanger – and long may it continue -and Avanti have now got a route that goes into Wrexham to tap into the buzz around the city, alongside the existing TfW services to Wrexham from cities including Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff.

“On top of that, everything in North Wales is concentrated in a relatively small geographic area so you certainly get more bang for your tourism buck by coming here.

“We just need to raise the region’s profile to help more people discover the joy of visiting North Wales and to do so in a sustainable way.”

Nick Smith, Regional Growth Manager at Avanti West Coast, said: “We are proud to serve North Wales, connecting customers and communities with so many great destinations throughout this beautiful region. This campaign highlights how easy it is to combine train and bus on a seamless journey, unlocking new destinations for visitors.

“Alongside this, our new £350m Evero fleet is delivering an improved on-board experience for customers, highlighting our commitment to invest in and continue to grow train services on the North Wales route.”

Lee Robinson, Executive Director for Regional Transport and Integration at TfW, said: "North Wales has some of the UK's best destinations, many of which are within easy reach of public transport, making it an affordable and comfortable way to see some of the country's best scenery and attractions.

“With brand new trains, part of an £800m investment by TfW on behalf of the Welsh Government, now running throughout North Wales and continued investment and improvements in the fflecsi, TrawsCymru and the Sherpa Y'r Wyddfa bus services, there's never been a better time to explore the region by public transport.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: “North Wales includes some stunning places to visit. It understandably attracts thousands of visitors who want to enjoy the amazing scenery and activities.

“It’s great to see TfW and Avanti West Coast linking up with Traws Cymru and Flecsi to provide reliable and interconnected bus and rail services that allow tourists to explore this beautiful part of our landscape in a convenient and sustainable way.”

For more information go to: gonorthwales.co.uk/visitor-information/travel-information/north-wales-by-train