Evidence from Roy Hancock – WBF 27

Dear Sirs,

I am amazed that the Welsh Government has seen fit to incur considerable expense on a consultation into the future of rail services in Mid and West Wales. Most of this money could have been saved if the Welsh Government had instead sent someone to spend a few days monitoring passenger figures and overcrowding on the service between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury. Had they done so this person would have observed that on a large number of these journeys the carriages were full to overcrowding, particularly during the summer season and when Aberystwyth University is in session.

I would much prefer to travel by train to Birmingham or Manchester airports when I go on holiday or to go to sporting events across Offa’s Dyke. But a two-hourly service often makes this very inconvenient.

We lost our rail link to South Wales when Beeching wielded his axe more than 40 years ago. Surely lessons should be learned from this and we should now build on the undoubted popularity of rail transport to provide the people of Mid and West Wales with a service that is at least on a part with most of the rest of Wales. We should not be treated as second class citizens and I very much hope that an early decision is made to provide this area with a much promised hourly service.

Yours sincerely,

Roy Hancock