Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies were received from Liz Saville Roberts (MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd), Mabon ap Gwynfor (MS for Dwyfor Meirionnydd), Chris Wilson (Carmarthenshire County Council), Trefor Roberts (Shrewsbury/Aberystwyth Railway Committee), Cllr Richard Glyn Roberts (Gwynedd), Ann Elias (Carmarthenshire County Council), Cllr Elfed Wyn ap Elwyn (Gwynedd) and Clare Britton (Ffestiniog Railway) 

No declarations of personal interest were received from any members present.

To consider any business which the Chairman decides is urgent.

None to note

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held March 22nd, 2024 be signed as a true record.

The Chair accepted the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee, held on 22 March 2024, as a true record.

To discuss proposed changes to the Cambrian Railway timetables 2024

In response to the announcement by Transport for Wales that they planned to reduce the number of journeys and amend some journey times on the Cambrian railway, some Members had requested that an extraordinary meeting be held to have a conversation with Transport for Wales officials, so as to obtain more background information on how the decisions had been made together with a justification for the changes.

It was reported that a Transport Liaison Group meeting had been held in Shrewsbury on 11 April 2024 to discuss the changes. Cllr Gwynfor Owen had expressed his disappointment that all decisions had already been made and that there was no rationale for the user figures that had been used to reach a decision, as these gave a misleading impression of the railway's use. (The COVID-19 pandemic, major work on the infrastructure, inclement weather side-effects, difficulties with reliability and performance had all significantly affected the level of service and consequently the use of the railway).

Reference was made to a notice of motion made at the meeting of the full Council (May 2024) where Cllr Gwynfor Owen had proposed that Cyngor Gwynedd makes it clear to Transport for Wales and to the Welsh Government, who are the owners of Transport for Wales, that any cut in the number of trains on the Cambrian Railway is not acceptable, and instead they should look at how to increase the number of trains throughout the year. The motion had been accepted unanimously by the Members of the Council.

It was pointed out that Ken Skates (Cabinet Secretary for North Wales and Transport), had agreed with the need for cuts amounting to £700k, although new trains had been added in some places. Cllr Eryl Jones Williams referred to a letter that Barmouth Town Council had sent to Ken Skates expressing disappointment at the proposed changes to the railway service along the Cambrian Railway. The letter stated that the consultation period had been too short (that 32 days was not enough time to gather responses), and that the requirement for respondents to register to submit their views had likely deterred people from taking part.

In response to the observation, Gail Jones (Transport for Wales) noted that they had conducted an on-line Timetable Review to gather opinion and information on the changes, and not a consultation.

General observations arising from the ensuing discussion:

·         Disappointment that the decision had been made before sharing information with users. Disappointed that we had received no information regarding the intention to change the times / journeys during the March 2024 meeting

·         The length of the consultation period had been far too short – people without technology were being excluded. It was difficult to understand that it was not a consultation.

·         Transport for Wales should consult before making any changes – this was an insult to the people of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.