Taff Ely faces takeover
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• Municipally owned Taff Ely Transport looks certain to be taken over by the National Welsh bus company within the next two weeks.
Taff Ely Council decided to sell the bus firm last Monday on the recommendations of consultants Coopers and Lybrand. Both Taff Ely Transport and the Transport and General Workers Union believe a bid from National Welsh has been accepted.
The council refuses to confirm National Welsh as the new owners of Taff Ely and says that in any case no decision is final until it has been accepted by the Welsh Secretary of State. It claims Taff Ely Transport has been losing around £5,000 a week and a complete takeover of the firm "represented the best commercial avenue".
The TGWU has spoken out in favour of a National Welsh takeover. It met with several bidders for Taff Ely, including the Clayton Jones Group, Bebbs and National Welsh, and last Thursday the union said National Welsh offered the be job security for the 45 staff.
Other companies believed tc have been interested in Taff Ely Transport include Edward; Travel, Cynon Valley, Drawline, Inner Valley Link and Merthyr Tydfil.
Taff Ely Transport was previously co-operating with the Clayton Jones Group on routes which they both contested, to fight National Welsh. The firm was also engaged in a fares war in Pontypridd against National Welsh and Bebbs, where fares of more than 21 were cut to 25 pence.