THE award of another grant for the Cardi Bach coastal bus service - this time from the Rural Development Plan Project - has been greeted by the news the bus will now keep running until March 2016.

Ceredigion County Council's cabinet was told about the £40,500 grant at its meeting last week.

Councillors were also told a new 24-seater bus has been purchased by Richard Brothers as the original bus was in a poor condition.

The bus service has, which runs from Cardigan to New Quay, linking coastal villages along its route, has been time tabled to fit in with other local and Traws Cymru T5 bus services.

Last year, up until September 30, the bus service was used 4,645 times, and although popular this was seen not to be popular enough.

Although cabinet were pleased with the latest news, there were still concerns were raised over continued sustainable funding as well as what had happened to the old bus.

Councillor Gethin James said: “We welcome of course that extra funding, but we still have grave concerns over the future of the bus service.

“It has been running since 2004 and is a life line for rural communities. I do not see why the Ceredigion County Council does not make it one of its main services. "

These issues were addressed at the meeting.

It was revealed that the old bus was in Glanyrafon and that the council hoped to either sell the bus using that money to go back into the service or to salvage it and put it back in use.

Councillor Alun Williams said: “There were a great many complaints about the state of the bus which is why it needed changing.

“Making the service part of the one we provide is something we take into consideration. But whilst the funding is availing from RDF we would not want to turn it down.”