The network of publicly-funded bus routes in Wales beginning with T, including the T4, has great claims made for it. But how is it really?

On Easter Saturday I explored Newtown, Powys. I photographed impressive buildings, visited the fascinating Robert Owen Museum, and squeezed in a cheeky pint before heading back to the Valleys on the T4. For the uninitiated, the T4 is the bus route between Cardiff and mid-Wales.

If a route number is prefixed by the letter T it’s a TrawsCymru service, funded by the Welsh Government. It’s a network of long-distance routes designed to connect cities, towns, and villages in much the same way the railways did a century ago. The Transport for Wales website boasts that TrawsCymru buses “provide vital public transport links for many communities across Wales, integrating with rail journey [sic] and also giving visitors an accessible, affordable, and environmentally friendly option for exploring the scenic beauty of our country.” Sounds fantastic, but how true is it?