A HEREFORD man blames a bus times error and the axing of a popular booklet as the reasons he was recently left stranded in Hay-on-Wye.

William Smith, who lives near Edgar Street, travelled to the border town for the Winter Festival on November 24, but missed the last bus home.

“I used to get the council’s bus timetables booklet which they decided to stop printing. And if I would have had a copy I would not have missed the last bus home,” he said.

Mr Smith said on arriving to Hay he checked the times at the bus stop on Oxford Road but they turned out to be wrong.

“I always make sure I get to the bus stop in good time before the bus arrives.

“It said at the bus stop that the last one back to Hereford was before quarter to five. But nothing came.”

Mr Smith said he was stuck there with three other people who needed to make their way back to Hereford.

“Luckily a woman from Hay was kind enough to bring us all the way back to Hereford in exchange for some petrol money,” he said.

A Herefordshire Council spokesperson said bus users should check timetables online before travelling.

He said: “The council continues to provide up to date bus timetables and information online and on social media, and we ensure the accuracy of printed and electronic displays in all cases across the county.

“We would encourage customers to check our timetables via these channels before making any journeys by bus, and to double-check the provider’s timetables to avoid the risk of any inconvenience.”

Powys County Council spokesman said an error was found on the timetable.

“The last service from Hay-on-Wye to Hereford on Saturdays should be 3:40pm,” he said.

“However, the timetables have incorrectly published 4:40pm. We are now updating the timetables with the correct time. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.”