David Chadwick MP - Heart of Wales Line Cuts Must be Reversed

Over recent weeks I have received numerous complaints about the poor condition of services on the Heart of Wales line, with many constituents stating to me that the line seems to spend more time shut than open.

Welsh Labour’s decision to cut the already limited services on this vital public transport route across Mid Wales is indefensible.

While South Wales receives brand new trains and even the opening of entire new rail lines and billions of pounds in funding for the South Wales Metro, residents in rural Wales are seeing their public transport options cut while the Welsh Labour Government also tells us to drive less.

Having spent the last few months speaking to residents about the cuts, it is clear to me that any low usage of the line is in fact being caused by its reliability issues. The line is repeatedly shut for maintenance and poor weather and suffers from poor punctuality and cancellations.

Much of this is due to the age and unreliability of the trains themselves which are old and often break down, with the Liberal Democrats having called for them to be replaced since 2005.

Yet the Welsh Government seemingly have no interest in resolving these issues with the Heart of Wales Line set to be the only rail line in Wales not to receive new trains under Transport for Wales’ modernisation plans.

We need more reliable and more frequent rail services across Mid Wales, not less.

Access to public transport is vital for increasing economic investment and employment, supporting our tourist industry and attracting highly skilled workers like GPs to work in our communities.

Already since TfW cut the service in January, I have been contacted by dozens of constituents who have had real difficulties in getting to work due to these changes.

Myself and my colleague in the Senedd Jane Dodds will continue to lead the fight to restore services and reverse the cuts that have been made. 

It was the Liberal Democrats who restored the 5^th service a day when it was cut during the early 2000s and we will fight to bring the service back again, in addition to making other improvements on the line.  

ENDS