THE Law Society have released on interactive online map showing how plans to close courts in Wales, including Brecon Law Courts, could impact people who rely on public transport.

The UK government is currently consulting on plans to close 91 courts and tribunals in England and Wales. The consultation on the closures is due to end on October 8.

If the closure plans go ahead, the consultation states 95 percent of people could drive to court in an hour.

The Law Society’s map suggests this wouldn’t be the case and it would in fact take longer for those relying on public transport.

If Brecon Law Court was to close, the proposal is that cases would be sent to Llandrindod Wells Law Court, Merthyr Tydfil Combined Court and, for residents in the Ystradgynlais area, Swansea Magistrates Court.

Civil, family and tribunal hearings would move to Merthyr Tydfil Combined Court.

The Law Society said 34 percent of magistrates’, 33 percent of civil and 24 percent of family court users could reach their new court within one hour, a substantial difference from the 95 percent outlined in the consultation.

If a Hay-on-Wye resident was in Court in Llandrindod Wells and had to use public transport to get there, they would have to leave home at 07.06am, make a change at Hereford and would arrive at Llandrindod Wells at 10.50am. This makes a total bus journey of three hours and 44 minutes, without having to make your way to the court from the bus stop, whereas if you went in the car it would take you approximately 41 minutes.

Again, if a Hay-on-Wye resident was in court in Merthyr Tydfil, they would have to leave Hay at 07.41am, change at Brecon and arrive at Merthyr Tydfil at 09.15am. This makes a total journey time of one hour and 34 minutes, again without having to walk from the bus stop to court. If you did this journey by car it would take you approximately 53 minutes.

With most court users being asked to be in attendance by 9am, this would mean matters are delayed in being heard due to travel difficulties.

While visiting the Royal Welsh Show in Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells in July, Prime Minister David Cameron said savings must be made to local courts - after being questioned on the proposed closure of Brecon Law Courts.

When asked to respond to Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon’s suggestion that devolving budgets for courts to the directly elected police watchdogs could save courts like Brecon from closure, Mr Cameron said: "That’s not the status quo, so that’s not what we’re looking at but in any event whoever is running these services will need to make the appropriate savings."