MS takes our rail shambles to the Senedd for answers

Gwynedd Maldwyn Senedd Member Elwyn Vaughan has called on the Welsh Government to intervene following a summer of disruption on the Cambrian Line.

The Plaid Cymru MS's  intervention followed numerous complaints from constituents about delays, cancellations and unreliable services between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury in recent months.

As Chair of the Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee, Mr Vaughan MS raised concerns about the performance of older trains during periods of hot weather, problems with air conditioning and staffing, and the long-awaited introduction of new rolling stock.

Highlighting passengers’ experiences over the summer, he questioned whether enough was being done by Transport for Wales to improve reliability and asked when the new trains would finally enter service.

Speaking during the Committee, he said: “Over the summer, there were a lot of delays, there were issues in the height of the hot weather about air conditioning systems, and there seemed to be staff issues. It becomes a surprise, nearly, if it is running. My fundamental question is: when are the new units, long awaited, supposed to be on the track?”

In response, the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Transport, Mark Hooper MS, acknowledged that severe hot weather had affected railway services across the country, with older trains on the Cambrian Line particularly susceptible to high temperatures. He recognised that investment in new trains had transformed services in some parts of Wales, but that the benefits had yet to reach every route.

Duncan Hamer, also responding on behalf of the Welsh Government, confirmed that replacing the ageing fleet was planned for this year and acknowledged the challenges facing Cambrian Line passengers.

He said: “The legacy fleet was not designed to work in the heat that we’ve had this summer, and the plan is to replace those with a new fleet this year. So, we’ll be holding those to account.”

Mr Hamer also highlighted the cross-border challenges affecting services, explaining that while the signalling system on the Cambrian Line was clear, problems with points and connections at Shrewsbury could contribute to disruption. He stressed the importance of lobbying the UK Government to secure improvements that would benefit the wider network.

Following the meeting, Mr Vaughan MS stressed that passengers on the Cambrian Line should not be left behind and that reliable rail services are essential to encouraging more people to use public transport.

“People need to have confidence that when they turn up at a station, the train is going to go. That is fundamental to getting people to use public transport. Passengers on the Cambrian Line deserve modern, reliable trains and a service they can depend on. We need clear answers about when the new trains will arrive and what is being done to prevent a repeat of this summer’s disruption.”

He is calling on Transport for Wales to take responsibility for improving the reliability of the Cambrian Line, ensuring the promised new trains are introduced as planned and addressing the ongoing issues affecting passengers.