THE IMPACT of road and rail service closures and timetable cuts is having a ‘significant’ impact on lives and businesses in Gwynedd.
In recent months, residents have faced difficulties getting to work, college and social activities and businesses in places like Barmouth, Pwllheli and Aberdyfi have been affected.
Calls to bring the issues to the First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan’s attention were made during a meeting of the Cambrian Coast Railway Liaison Committee on Friday, March 28.
The Cambrian route starts at Shrewsbury, runs between Aberystwyth and Pwllheli with a change at Machynlleth.
Disruptions to services have occurred recently due to “essential” rail network repairs.
Further difficulties arose with road closures including the recent A470 in Powys.
Reductions of the Cambrian line’s winter timetable had also had an effect.
Gail Jones, representing Transport for Wales, gave the committee an update, including a video describing engineering works closing the line between Shrewsbury and Machynlleth from Friday, March 21 until Thursday, April 3.
It was part of ongoing track renewal, embankment strengthening and key maintenance activities, she said.
From Sunday, March 30, until Wednesday, April 2, trains would run from Birmingham to Shrewsbury, calling at all stations.
Buses would replace trains between Shrewsbury and Machynlleth, with trains running between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth
Recent disruption had ended on Friday, March 21, with trains unable to run between Newtown and Aberystwyth or between Machynlleth and Pwllheli.
Cllr Anne Lloyd Jones described the impact on children attending Tywyn secondary school and others travelling to college from Tywyn to Newtown due to simultaneous road and railway closures.
“Some people have not been able to get through for a fortnight to Newtown, students had to stay home unable to do their practical work,” she said.
Chairing the meeting, Cllr Eryl Jones-Williams said it was “a valid complaint” that people were being significantly affected.
“When road and rail services close together it makes life hard for people in rural areas, the detours are a long distance, very long.”
Gail Jones said the closures were “essential.” Network Rail’s work had been planned “far ahead” and couldn’t be changed.
The roadworks had also been “put back” because of the train collision in October, 2024, when a train from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth collided with the service from Machynlleth to Shrewsbury.
The loss of services on the Cambrian’s winter timetable – due to be reinstated soon for the summer – was also raised.
Cllr Jones Williams said people working in supermarkets and the hospitality sector had been unable to return home due to the loss of the last service.
“It also affects lives, people can’t go out at night to shows in Barmouth, the Dragon Theatre, things like that are lost to our villages.
“The Welsh Government wants people to use public transport but they have to use cars here. By doing away with the last train, they go against their own policy.”
Cllr Anne Lloyd-Jones “regularly” heard how businesses were impacted.
“The Magic Lantern cinema in Tywyn has had to reschedule everything,” she said.
Bill Redfern of the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Rail Passengers’ Association said the impact on some was “quite devastating”.
He cited people purchasing cars and longer day trips becoming “impossible.”
“The winter service is quite inadequate,” he said.
A county councillor representing Pwllheli at the end of the line, Cllr Elin Hywel, said people there “truly depended on the railway”.
It had given “a feeling of connection between the villages and towns,” with people spending evenings in Pwllheli, Barmouth or Aberdyfi or travelling from Porthmadog to Pwllheli.
“There is a lack of understanding or appreciation for what happens to our communities because of what happens on the railway,” she said.
Gail Jones would “relay the messages back” but said “the real power” lay with lobbying MPs and MSs.
“We’ll have to take this one to the top,” Cllr Jones Williams said.
