The Gurkha drivers were popular with many passengers

Carmarthenshire Council stopped using 2Travel on its subsidised routes due to 'reliability' issues - but the Gurkhas were very popular with passengers.

The Gurkhas left their posts on Friday but have found alternative driving jobs with other companies in Llanelli, Swansea and the Midlands area.

2Travel turned to the Gurkhas last year due to a shortage of UK recruits.

The former British Army soldiers were able to secure five year work permitts to come to Wales.

We have not seen such politeness on our buses for years Councillor Jim Jones

First took over seven Carmarthen to Llanelli services previously operated by 2Travel on Sunday.

Carmarthenshire Council's Passenger Transport Manager Kathryn Timothy said the authority had given 2Travel notice that it was terminating its service contracts from 12 June.

"The quality and reliability of bus services provided by 2Travel have been in steady decline since the beginning of the year," she said.

Ms Timothy said 2Travel had unilaterally ended its operations before the notice period ended.

"Regrettably the lack of notice of this withdrawal has caused further disruption to passengers.

"Once it became clear on Friday afternoon that the company were abandoning their contracts, we acted swiftly to bring in another operator.

"Normal services were fully restored on Sunday morning. First has now taken over the operation of the routes concerned."

Baden Evans, who worked with Gurkha Bhim Rhai to bring the drivers from Nepal to Wales, said the drivers left 2Travel on Friday.

"It's not been a problem finding them other work - I've had several calls since Friday from people wanting to take them on.

"Some are back in work this week, others next week and some are going to the Midlands in June."

Regular passenger and Five Roads councillor Jim Jones said: "We have not seen such politeness on our buses for years. It was not their fault but the unreliability of the services."