A WELSH Government Minister has heard first-hand how transport costs and limited bus services are affecting young people's access to education, as Coleg Cambria renewed calls for fairer funding across Wales.
Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper MS visited the college’s Yale campus in Wrexham, meeting senior leaders and students to discuss the challenges facing learners travelling to college.
The visit followed concerns raised by Coleg Cambria Chief Executive Yana Williams over what she described as a transport “postcode lottery”, with different levels of financial support available to students depending on where they live.
The college, which has sites in Wrexham, Deeside, Northop and Llysfasi, previously provided free transport to eligible learners at an annual cost exceeding £2.4 million.
However, rising costs and financial pressures led to the introduction of subsidised travel charges in September 2025, with Cambria continuing to meet a substantial proportion of the cost.
Mr Hooper met Ms Williams and senior colleagues Caroline Street, Deputy Chief Executive for People Experiences and Culture; Bethan Charles, Director of Learner Services; Teresa Dagnall, Director of Finance; and Llinos Roberts, Director of Welsh Language Development.
Discussions focused on transport provision across a large geographical area, including rural communities where public bus services can be limited.
The Deputy Minister then joined a student engagement session, hearing about learners’ journeys, the influence of transport on their choice of course and campus, and the challenges faced by those travelling from more remote areas.
The session also explored Welsh-medium education and the Welsh Government's £1 bus fare initiative for young people.
Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper MS said: “I recognise there are challenges, but I will do all I can to ensure transport isn’t a barrier to young people accessing education, training or work.
“That is why we have extended our £1 single bus fares and £3 day tickets for five to 21-year-olds until March 2027, backed by £8m of investment.
“I'm grateful to Coleg Cambria's staff and students for sharing their experiences with me today, this will help inform our thinking as we continue to improve public transport across Wales.”
Ms Williams added: “It was good to welcome the Deputy Minister to Yale and, importantly, for him to hear directly from our students about the difficulties some of them face getting to college.
“We have learners travelling from across North Wales, including rural areas where bus services are limited, and we know how important reliable, affordable transport is to them and their families.
“We provided free transport for many years, but with costs rising beyond £2.4 million annually, we reached a point where that was no longer financially sustainable.”
Ms Williams said introducing subsidised fares was not a decision the college took lightly.
“We continue to do everything we can to keep costs down for our learners,” she said.
“The £1 bus fare scheme is welcome, but it doesn't resolve every issue, particularly where services are limited or don't run at times that suit the college day.
“We appreciate the Deputy Minister taking the time to listen and hope we can continue working with Welsh Government to look at how transport can be funded more fairly in future.”
The visit concluded with a question-and-answer session involving college leaders, including Student and College Services Manager Luke Price.
For more news and information, visit www.cambria.ac.uk.