Better service plea on rail line to coast from Shropshire
Rail users on a major route through Shropshire and Mid Wales have called for more carriages and a better service on a Sunday when the new franchise is awarded.
The number of passengers travelling on the Cambrian Rail Line has increased by 100 per cent in the last 10 years, the Shrewsbury Aberystwyth Rail Liaison Committee said.
But tourist and charter trains have been lost to the line since it was fitted with the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) signalling.
It means trains without the system cannot use the line and the liaison committee wants to see a mobile ERTMS unit purchased that could be used on tourist trains coming in from other areas.
In the committee's response to consultation in preparation for the 2018 franchise, the committee has said that there should be an extra train used on the Cambrian Lines to provide a full hourly train service.
It is calling for the same number of services on Sundays as there are Monday to Saturday.
At the moment the Cambrian Coast Line has just three services on Sundays in the summer and only one a day in the winter months.
"There should be an aim to create a seven days a week full service on the Cambrian main and coast lines including earlier trains on a Sunday," the committee said in a statement.
It is calling for more rolling stock to cope with the increased number of passengers and says that passengers should not have to stand for any longer than 20 minutes.
Calls for improvements to stations on the line are also made in the consultation document.
These include further shelter provision and disabled access at Welshpool and urgently needed car parking at Caersws, Machynlleth and the Dovey Junction.
There are several private crossings on the line and the liaison committee is asking that the improvement programme that has already started on those crossings continues.
The committee says a survey it carried out last year has led to many of the comments on the consultation document.
A need for better integration between train and bus timetables was highlighted during the survey particularly at Welshpool, Newton and Machynlleth.
There were also calls from passengers for better WiFi, power points on every train and also a refreshment trolley service on every train.
The document will be lodged with the Welsh Government transport minister, Edwina Hart.
