A package of improvements to bus services serving Monmouthshire will be introduced from September thanks to support from Herefordshire County Council and the Welsh Government.

These changes will bring new Sunday services, additional evening journeys, improved rail connections and extra peak-time capacity on the busiest routes. This will provide residents with more travel choices and better access to key destinations across the region.

Among the most significant enhancements is the introduction of a Sunday service on route 23 between Hereford, Abergavenny, Pontypool and Cwmbran. Four journeys will operate in each direction every Sunday, providing the first Sunday service on the route for several decades.

Passengers travelling on route 23 will also benefit from new evening services Monday to Saturday. These changes will provide the first evening bus connection between Abergavenny and Hereford for many years, while increasing the evening frequency between Abergavenny and Cwmbran to hourly.

An additional morning journey will also be introduced between Abergavenny and Pontypool on weekdays.

Further improvements include extending all route 66 services between Monmouth and Hereford to Hereford Railway Station, making onward journeys easier for passengers.

A Sunday service will also return to route 68 between Abergavenny, Raglan and Monmouth. The reinstated service, which last operated in 2020, will provide four journeys in each direction every Sunday.

On the busy Newport, Caldicot and Chepstow corridor, additional capacity will be introduced on route X74 from 1 September through an extra weekday morning peak journey.

Chepstow passengers will also benefit from an additional morning journey on Route C1 between Thornwell, Bulwark and the town centre.

Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, Councillor Catrin Maby, said: “These improvements are important for communities across Monmouthshire.

“Good public transport is essential for connecting people with jobs, education, healthcare, shopping and leisure opportunities, and these changes will give residents more choice over how and when they travel.

“Better weekend public transport ensures more people can enjoy what Monmouthshire has to offer without needing to rely on a car.”

A number of other minor timetable revisions will also come into effect from September, so passengers should check their journey times before travelling.

To plan your journey, head to https://www.traveline.cymru/