“Absolutely appalling” train and bus services blasted by Welshpool council

The “absolutely appalling” state of public transport has been highlighted by a Welshpool town councillor who is leading the call for change.

Former Mayor Cllr Alison Davies highlighted the dreadful situation regarding local trains at the latest Full Council meeting, and said that the buses “are no better” in calling for the council to lead the change by working with like-minded groups and organisations to lobby the Welsh Government.

“There has been a lot of discussion, but we are not interested in reasons and the excuses,” said Cllr Davies.

“What we need is a service that works because it is affecting the social, environmental and economic sustainability of Mid Wales, and it absolutely wrecks any kind of opportunity looking ahead next year to the Tour de France.”

Cllr Davies highlighted some shocking stories, including trains being cancelled on the day that some local students were taking A-levels in Shrewsbury.

She also pointed out the long-term closures of the Cambrian Line due to improvement work, and the constant delays in introducing new trains.

Regarding buses, she said: “Buses that used to call via Berriew to Welshpool no longer do so, therefore students electing to attend Shrewsbury College or workers cannot catch the bus to Welshpool and on to Shrewsbury for study or employment.

“Welshpool prides itself on welcoming visitors and along with other Mid Wales towns sees tourism as an intrinsic element of our economic vitality. Along with our ‘normal tourism’ we are delighted, and proud, to be selected as a starting venue for the Tour de France 2027. One thing we know is cyclists choose to use public transport and we are in a holiday area so this is absolutely awful for them.

“The repeated problems and lack of any holistic approach to public transport in Mid Wales is likely to have a significantly detrimental effect on this international attraction and the legacy impact on Welshpool and the surrounding tourist economy.

“It is vital that public transport provision in Mid Wales meets the needs of local people and visitors and reaches this challenge with some alacrity, to ensure local benefit throughout 2027, having to a large extent ‘missed the boat’ for 2026.”

She has proposed that the Town Council communicates with Welsh Government via local Senedd Members, Powys and Ceredigion County Councils and Councillors; Community and Town Councils along the Cambrian Line; Cambrian Line and Welshpool Rail Users; PAVO; and Mid Wales Tourism.

“Advise them of our concerns and request that, together, we initiate much stronger pressure to achieve public transport provision in Mid Wales that meets the needs of local people and visitors,” she said.

Councillors backed her proposal.