After months of disruption for passengers, Transport for Wales has been called upon by Transport Focus to deliver a more reliable rail service urgently.
For a number of months, passengers have faced significant disruption, including services being cancelled at short notice, services stopping short of their destinations, and in some cases trains being replaced by rail-replacement bus services.
The resultant disruption has caused significant overcrowding on popular routes, uncomfortable journeys, and unacceptable delays in dealing with complaints from passengers.
As there has been little sign of improvement for passengers, Transport Focus has written to Transport for Wales calling for it to take action to ensure its services for passengers are improved as soon as possible.
During the past few months, Transport for Wales has experienced major operational issues with some of its trains, that have resulted in a detrimental effect on passenger services. These include trains being out of service for essential repairs, whilst some trains on the Cardiff to Holyhead and Cardiff to Manchester routes have been unreliable.
In Transport Focus's latest survey, Transport for Wales was rated by passengers in joint bottom place for overall satisfaction alongside TransPennine Express. Just 69 per cent of passengers expressed satisfaction with the punctuality of their journeys.
According to the Office of Rail and Road, Transport for Wales was also recorded as having significantly more cancellations than other major operators, with 12 per cent of trains being cancelled in March.
David Sidebottom, director at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Passengers need services which are reliable and that they can depend on. Transport for Wales needs to take urgent action to get more trains moving and deliver certainty for its passengers.
“At a time when people are being encouraged to use public transport, this situation is untenable. Transport for Wales needs to put a robust plan in place outlining how they will restore services and get things back on track for passengers.”
Over the past 12 months I find it difficult to recall using a single aTfW service on the North-and-West main line that has arrived on time, not to mention services cancelled at short notice or using ancient rattletrap replacement rolling stock. The onboard catering is disgraceful, the lavatories are a shambles and station facilities are poorly-maintained and frequently (eg. lifts) out of order. The only exception to this sorry state of affairs is the Aberystwyth branch which potters along fairly well.
I travel from Bridgend to radyr daily for work. The last 4 months has been so hard I’ve now decided to give up my job, Due to the lack of train services provided by transport for Wales. Some day it’s taken over 3hours to Tavel too work and just as long to travel home.
Over £320 million in Trains are sitting in depots, not in use and have been for the last two years, while the rest of us sit on Trains that I’m not fit for purpose some trains with water pouring in through ceilings and others with no toilet facilities.
Where myself have been left about £300 short in wages some months then having to ask mates to help me pay bills.
I used to go to London from Ludlow. I’ve given up now as the trains are consistently late or cancelled. Now I drive to Wolverhampton and go from there. Bad for the planet but at least I know I’ll get there. It’s often cheaper to drive all the way, especially if there’s 2 in the car.
“It´s often cheaper to drive all the way,…” brings back memories of the catastrophic mistake that Beechings Branch/Feeder Cuts never thought or occured to B.R.would happen at all. All the plans for station parking but drivers continued to their destinations and road usage increased.
TFW need to explain why in the midst of a rolling stock crisis they have been removing Class 769 units from.service on the Penarth – Rhymney line and sending them away by Road for storage, meaning that Class 150/153 units that could have been in use elsewhere to avoid cancellations having to take their place? Also, why have Class 170 units been taken off-lease and sent to the East Midlandd?
Don’t forget Wales is a Labour run country, they are not bothered about what happens on the rail lines. I think the main reason is TFW don’t have enough money to run all the services. Having to send leased trains back.
Probably the reasons are the track access charges. At the time of privatisation, I experienced normal Waterloo to Portsmouth Harbour of 10 and 12 coach usage suddenly being reduced to 4 car sets with horrendous overcrowding. SWR decided it could save a bucket load of money with less wheels touching the track.