Evidence from Miss Roz Trueman – WBF 15

Dear Committee,

Having just read a short piece in the Cambrian News regarding the Mid Wales rail service I felt compelled to write to give you my views.

As a professional woman I have been forced to work further afield due to the lack of proper and accessible infrastructure in this area. Quite frankly the term not fit for purpose fits perfectly as far as this rail link is concerned, and I use the word "link" loosely, because quite frankly it is nothing short of farcical. Single lines, having to get off, on again, trains pulled at the last minute, failures to anticipate traffic numbers etc the list is endless. If Wales wants to compete with the rest of the UK it had better wake up quickly. Due to the lack of a proper link that would take me straight through to the Midlands I have to work much further away. Not a happy situation at all. The so called planning has been in the hands of people with no vision, sense of enterprise or urgency and who quite frankly don't seem to have grasped the position at all. There has been far too much talk and not enough action. We have the same discussion every so often and nothing happens.

I have lived in Wales for over 13 years and for that length of time the same old "discussions" have been going on. It makes me angry because it shouldn't be this way. Its like an Ealing Comedy but the reality is that people like me can’t work in the areas they would like to, people who want to be able to commute to work cant and inward investment is put off.. is it any wonder. There are third world countries with better infrastructures and people with the skills to make it happen than there are here. The Assembly should stop discriminating regarding inward investment in non urban areas and address the issue once and for all. Action and decisive action at that .. needs to happen and quickly.

Thank you

Miss Roz Trueman