ARRIVA has said that the new 20mph limit in Wales is creating "challenging operational conditions" for its bus services.

The company said it has been "closely monitoring" the impact of the new speed limit and is planning a review of its network.

The controversial new speed limit came into effect on September 17 and saw most previously 30mph roads change to 20mph.

An Arriva driver, wishing to remain anonymous, told The Leader that the impact on bus drivers and services has been "massive". 

"Sometimes we're having to turn around cancel the rest of journeys because we're so far behind on them," he said. 

"Some journeys, we're seeing an extra 15-20 minutes added on."

He added: "Buses aren't meant to be driven at such low speeds - it's going to cause a lot of issues for our vehicles. 

"And drivers are getting a lot more abuse now. It's not our fault - we have to stick to the 20mph limit, we've been told that by the company. It's a real mess."

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A spokesperson for Arriva Wales said: “Arriva has been closely monitoring its timetables since the 20mph speed limit has come into force in Wales and is planning a review of its networks. So far, there has been an impact on punctuality as journey times have lengthened, which has been particularly noticeable on longer journeys or those journeys connecting towns.

“This is creating challenging operational conditions. We are undertaking a large-scale review of the network and it’s going to a require a combination of additional resource, changes to frequencies and changes to routes to improve punctuality so we can better serve our customers.

“It is early days and we need more time to assess the data before making a final decision on the network. We are beginning to discuss the implications of this with the relevant authorities.”