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Tory MS accuses Transport for Wales of political bias

11 Nov 2024 3 minute read
Conservative Senedd Member for Brecon and Radnorshire, James Evans.

Emily Price

A Welsh Conservative MS has accused Transport for Wales of refusing to attend public meetings with him because he represents “the right”.

MS for Brecon and Radnorshire James Evans says the Welsh Government owned rail operator has shown political favouritism when it comes to discussions about a public transport crisis in his constituency.

Communities living in mid-Wales have recently raised serious concerns as TfW prepares to cut services on its Heart of Wales line from five trains a day to four.

The operator will also remove the two late evening services to Llandovery and Llandrindod Wells.

‘Complaints’

The line runs from Shrewsbury through southern Powys and into Carmarthenshire before terminating in Llanelli and has survived multiple closure proposals in the past.

Opposition politicians say the line is “vital” for the local tourism industry serving as a gateway to Bannau Brycheiniog.

TfW says the new timetable will provide “more resilience” in the winter period and meet “changed travel demands” post Covid.

Residents have also complained of repeated delays and cancellations due to the diesel trains that have been in use on the line since the 1980s.

There are no plans to replace rolling stock on the Heart of Wales line unlike all other lines in Wales which are in the process of receiving new trains.

‘Ignored’

TfW officials recently attended a public meeting on the issue with Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS and David Chadwick MP.

James Evans says his own “repeated” requests for a public meeting have been “ignored” because he is a Conservative politician.

He said: “Public transport is on its absolute knees in Wales – whether that’s trains or buses.

“In the part of the world which I represent in mid-Wales, we have hardly any buses and we have a terrible train network.

“This is all because if TfW. I’ve been asking TfW for months to come to a public meeting with me in Llandrindod to discuss the issues with the trains.

“I’ve had no response. But this organisation has favouritism – it will go to some meetings with some political representatives, but those of us who represent the right – they won’t come.

“It’s yet again, a Welsh Government quango showing political bias and an absolute disregard for the people who live in rural Wales.”

Political spectrum

TfW says it is a non-political organisation which values input from “across the political spectrum”.

A spokesperson said: “Our representatives were recently invited and attended a public meeting set up by the Member of the Senedd, and Member for Parliament for Mid and West Wales, to discuss services in the region.

“TfW has responded to Mr Evans, and if he would like to organise something at location and date of his choosing, TfW would welcome the chance to attend any further meetings, as they would, and do with any other members who organise public meetings of any political party.”


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Daniel Pitt
Daniel Pitt
1 month ago

Yeah, sure. Everything is a conspiracy against you personally. Have you tried seeking medical help for your paranoiac tendencies?

John Ellis
John Ellis
1 month ago

A Welsh Conservative MS has accused Transport for Wales of refusing to attend public meetings with him because he represents “the right”.’

Tories these days seem to have a morose disposition to whinge. What’s behind it, I wonder – are they suffering from some sort of paranoia?

Annibendod
Annibendod
1 month ago

Well, it’s *a* hypothesis. Any evidence offered by Mr Evans? Or is it more playing to the gallery, just as his group leader has a great fondness for doing … and they wonder why they’ve never won a national election in Cymru 🤷🏻

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 month ago

There doesn’t seem to be anything strange about Transport FOR Wales not wanting to meet with a member of a political party which is AGAINST Wales.

Garycymru
Garycymru
1 month ago

To be fair, I’d prefer Tories not to turn up to meetings. Not because they’re on the right, but because they’re generally vile individuals, Wales haters, racist, arrogant, disconnected with reality and generally not wanted.

Welsh Patriot
Welsh Patriot
1 month ago

I suspect he is correct, TfW seem to be infiltrated by hard left Welsh Nationalists.
I had to complain about the new bilingual bus information signs in the new bus station in Cardiff.
The one showing the English version was carrying adverts for 90% of the time, which made reading it impossible, where as the Welsh version carried no adverts just the bus times. When I complained they said it was a software issue! yeah right!

Glwyo
Glwyo
1 month ago
Reply to  Welsh Patriot

🥱

Glwyo
Glwyo
1 month ago

Indeed, madness, a whole 4 trains per day when the free market clearly tells us there should be zero. TfW need to cut all trains immediately or else they out themselves leftists.

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