In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.20 of
the Constitution, Councillor Huw Rowlands will propose as follows:-
“I propose that Gwynedd Council
writes to the Governments and relevant train companies, expressing
dissatisfaction regarding the standard of train service provided by Avanti West
Coast and Transport for Wales in Gwynedd, and the negative effect of this on
the County’s residents and economy.”
Decision:
That Cyngor Gwynedd writes to the relevant Governments and train
companies, expressing discontent about the quality of the train services
provided by Avanti West Coast and Transport for Wales in Gwynedd, and the
negative impact of that on the County's residents and economy.
Minutes:
(A)
Submitted - the following notice of motion by Councillor Huw Rowlands in
accordance with Section 4.20 of the Constitution, and it was seconded:-
The member set out the context to his motion,
noting that:-
·
The prices charged for
tickets were totally incommensurate with the standard of service, with trains
late, cancelled, crowded and dirty, no guarantee of a seat, although it could
cost up to £100 to travel one-way from Bangor to Cardiff on some services.
·
People who travelled to
work in Gwynedd, who were dependent on the train service to do so, were often
late to work following the cancellation of trains without any notice, or having to stand throughout the journey.
·
There were plenty of examples of crowded trains
going to Cardiff on international rugby and football days, with the trains full
leaving Bangor even, with only two carriages, despite the fact that Transport
for Wales knew about the games months in advance.
·
All this had an adverse impact on the economy and
the well-being of the people of Gwynedd, and also on
our international image to overseas visitors.
·
That £100bn was being invested in England to create
the HS2 service, and this was with ratepayers money,
including the ratepayers of Wales, namely finance that we in Gwynedd do not get
any benefit from.
·
The direct service from Bangor to London had been
reduced substantially since Covid, with no specific date for when these
services would be re-commenced to the previous level, if at all. It must also
be borne in mind that the service from Bangor to London linked the principal
cities of Dublin and London, and it was not a track to one place.
·
A significant reduction had also been seen in the
number of trains that run directly from Bangor to Cardiff.
·
Why should Gwynedd residents be second-class
citizens and have to change in Crewe to catch a train
from Manchester to London?
·
There was also concern regarding the standard of
customer service and the lack of availability of some types of tickets.
·
The train service in
Gwynedd had got worse, not improved, over the last few years, and the people of
Gwynedd deserved better than to accept without question a service that was
amongst the worse in Europe.
Members were given an
opportunity to make observations and ask questions. It was noted that:-
·
It was important not to
compare Avanti West Coast with the Cambrian Railway and the line between
Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, as the Cambrian listened to complaints and had
invested substantially in the railway.
·
There was a need for a
much clearer, easier and regular connection to the
world from Pwllheli.
RESOLVED to adopt the motion, namely:-
That Cyngor Gwynedd
writes to the relevant Governments and train companies, expressing discontent
about the quality of the train services provided by Avanti West Coast and
Transport for Wales in Gwynedd, and the negative impact of that on the County's
residents and economy.