Fishguard Rail Service Review

[merlodlliw]

Re opening Goodwick station appears to be a point in their favour hard to think of anything as pro rail as that from Powys, Ceredigion and gwynedd.

Agree, hope the station continues to see more than one daytime train up & down,unlike today Sunday.
Pembrokeshire council owns the station site while the work to reopen it was funded £325K through the Welsh government's regional transport plan.

 

[Gareth Marston]

Agree, hope the station continues to see more than one daytime train up & down,unlike today Sunday.
Pembrokeshire council owns the station site while the work to reopen it was funded £325K through the Welsh government's regional transport plan.

The farce on the Cambrian Coast at Pont Briwet was driven by Gwynedd's desperation to have a new road bridge.

 

[Rhydgaled]

I only mention pressure,has I don't recall the Fishguard extras being raised in the Senedd prior to the Ministers statement.
There are seven? AMs that serve the area who need to be awoken the trial is soon to end.

I believe each area has five AMs, the constituency AM and four regional ones. Both Fishguard stations, and most if not all of their catchment area, are within a single constituency (Preseli Pembrokeshire), so I don't know where you got the figure of 7 from.

I have had corrospondance with the constituency AM for Preseli Pembrokeshire, Paul Davies, on several occassions (though not in connection with the Fishguard rail review) but have largely ignored the presence of the four regional ones. Why I'm not sure, maybe it is because I don't really know what their intended function is and what issues are relevant to them.

Perhaps I should write to all five AMs about the Fishguard trial service.

 

[Gareth Marston]

I believe each area has five AMs, the constituency AM and four regional ones. Both Fishguard stations, and most if not all of their catchment area, are within a single constituency (Preseli Pembrokeshire), so I don't know where you got the figure of 7 from.

I have had corrospondance with the constituency AM for Preseli Pembrokeshire, Paul Davies, on several occassions (though not in connection with the Fishguard rail review) but have largely ignored the presence of the four regional ones. Why I'm not sure, maybe it is because I don't really know what their intended function is and what issues are relevant to them.

Perhaps I should write to all five AMs about the Fishguard trial service.

The regional s are for Mid and West Wales and in theory cover Powys, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen.

 

[merlodlliw]

I believe each area has five AMs, the constituency AM and four regional ones. Both Fishguard stations, and most if not all of their catchment area, are within a single constituency (Preseli Pembrokeshire), so I don't know where you got the figure of 7 from.

I have had corrospondance with the constituency AM for Preseli Pembrokeshire, Paul Davies, on several occassions (though not in connection with the Fishguard rail review) but have largely ignored the presence of the four regional ones. Why I'm not sure, maybe it is because I don't really know what their intended function is and what issues are relevant to them.

Perhaps I should write to all five AMs about the Fishguard trial service.

You are correct,I put a question mark on 7?,I must have included the neighbouring elected AMs,I advise use of the listed AMs,especially the Plaid and Liberal AMs who tend to be more forceful in asking questions than the WG party AMs, but use all four listed AMs who have the same rights as the constituency AM.Here is a link http://www.senedd.assemblywales.org/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=DISTRICT


And of course inform the Member Of Parliament,who can write to the WG Minister on your behalf.I have always found an intake of written questions to the Minister from AMs,will always get informal chats going,this current WG Minister has become more open to listening to others on rail matters than just her rail unit advisors and is very unhappy on the poor advices assured to her on the Chester/Wrexham redouble by both NR and her staff on capacity for future use of extra services to the North West of England

 

[Rhydgaled]

The NPTF newsletter reports that the survey of the trial services was concluded on 18th June 2014, and that over 1,000 responses were received.

I sent E-Mails to a number of the local AMs following merlodlliw's advice, hopefully they will be taking action to support the service.

 

[Gareth Marston]

The NPTF newsletter reports that the survey of the trial services was concluded on 18th June 2014, and that over 1,000 responses were received.

I sent E-Mails to a number of the local AMs following merlodlliw's advice, hopefully they will be taking action to support the service.

Thanks for update Rhydagaled. It was never going to hit the Cambrian numbers but nonetheless useful.

 

[merlodlliw]

The NPTF newsletter reports that the survey of the trial services was concluded on 18th June 2014, and that over 1,000 responses were received.

I sent E-Mails to a number of the local AMs following merlodlliw's advice, hopefully they will be taking action to support the service.

Well done,I hope some of the A Ms responded to you,

 

[davetheguard]

Well done,I hope some of the A Ms responded to you,

I hope ALL of the AM's responded to you; that's what you should happen in a democracy........

 

[merlodlliw]

I hope ALL of the AM's responded to you; that's what you should happen in a democracy........

Thats how it should be, but in real life I have found some AMs respond and do nothing unless pushed.

Further budget cuts about to be announced wont help, Wrexham Council have jumped the gun today announcing another £5millions of WG cuts to the County on top of the already £9millions of WG cuts ,to be announced officially after the summer recess in October.
Every WG Ministers departments are having drastic cuts of £millions,including transport.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Well done,I hope some of the A Ms responded to you,

I hope ALL of the AM's responded to you; that's what you should happen in a democracy........

I've had a reply from the constituency AM, who tends to be quite good at replying when I contact him:

Thank you for your recent e-mail. Being a regular train user, I feel you make some very sensible suggestions regarding improvements to train services.

Clearly, the enhanced services from Fishguard Harbour over the last three years has had a significant positive impact on the local population, visitors and the local economy. Like you, I have also contributed to the ‘Community Survey’ which will inform the review. As well as highlighting the enhanced services’ positive impact I have also mentioned that it is imperative that the fairly recently reopened Goodwick train station is fully utilised with regular train services.

I have already been raising this issue in the Senedd with the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, and given the importance of the issue I will continue to do so.

I've also had this reply from the Office of Rebecca Evans AM‏:

Re: Rail Service, Fishguard

Thank you for contacting Rebecca Evans AM.

Mrs Evans will be pleased to make representations to the Minister on your behalf, and will let you have a copy of the response as soon as she receives it.

Since then I have also recieved a very short response from Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport to Rebecca Evans AM (forwarded to me by the Office of Rebecca Evans AM) which basically said the minister was pleased to hear that I had contributed to the Fishguard rail services community survey and

I look forward to receiving the report next month, which will help enforce the decision I take about the future of the rail service to Fishguard harbour.

I wonder if the minister's use of the word 'enforce' rather than 'inform' this just a careless mistake or has some implications into what she is currently minded to do about the rail service.

 

[merlodlliw]

I've had a reply from the constituency AM, who tends to be quite good at replying when I contact him:


I've also had this reply from the Office of Rebecca Evans AM‏:
Since then I have also recieved a very short response from Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport to Rebecca Evans AM (forwarded to me by the Office of Rebecca Evans AM) which basically said the minister was pleased to hear that I had contributed to the Fishguard rail services community survey and I wonder if the minister's use of the word 'enforce' rather than 'inform' this just a careless mistake or has some implications into what she is currently minded to do about the rail service.

I think the word she used was correct. I understand the Minister is having over £150M cut from her future budget portfolio.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
This may well be the last railway decision the current Minister will make, we have a Ministerial reshuffle in September after the recess that leads up to the 2016 Assembly elections.

 

[Gareth Marston]

Recess is nearly upon us and no news then the Bay will not reconvene till End of September. Funding for trial only lasts until September.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Recess is nearly upon us and no news then the Bay will not reconvene till End of September. Funding for trial only lasts until September.

According to fishguardtrains.info, the announcement on the future of the service is due in August. Here's the relevant bit:

Once the review is complete the Welsh Government will issue a public notice in early August detailing any changes to the services.

Rather late notice for ATW to change or withdraw the service isn't it?

 

[John R]

I hope ALL of the AM's responded to you; that's what you should happen in a democracy........

Not so. I'm not sure whether it's the case in Wales, but there is a long standing protocol that MPs only reply to their own constituents. If you write to another MP it will be forwarded to your own. That makes sense, as an MP is there to represent a particular section of the population, and not everyone.

Members with particular responsibilities (such as the PM) may work in a different way.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Not so. I'm not sure whether it's the case in Wales, but there is a long standing protocol that MPs only reply to their own constituents. If you write to another MP it will be forwarded to your own. That makes sense, as an MP is there to represent a particular section of the population, and not everyone.

You are certainly correct about MPs, I've written to one (the transport minister at the time if I remember correctly) and got a reply from the back office saying that was not allowed.

The Welsh Assembly has five AMs representing each area (one at constiuency level, the others representing a larger area), so when davetheguard said "I hope ALL of the AM's responded to you" I assume he meant all of the ones I had written to, not the entire assembly. I have also written directly to at least one of the previous WAG ministers for transport and received replies.

 

[merlodlliw]

Not so. I'm not sure whether it's the case in Wales, but there is a long standing protocol that MPs only reply to their own constituents. If you write to another MP it will be forwarded to your own. That makes sense, as an MP is there to represent a particular section of the population, and not everyone.

Members with particular responsibilities (such as the PM) may work in a different way.

It is the same with MPs in Wales, however AMs work in a different way, one elected like an MP, then four regional listed AMs who treat everyone in their area Mid & West Wales as a constituent,All WG Assembly Ministers, can be written to no matter where from in Wales on Ministerial matters.

 

[Hornet]

Missed my day boat connection on Friday for Rosslare, so rather than sit at Fishguard for 12 hours, I decided to buy myself a West Wales Day Ranger ticket. Did Whitland-Pembroke Dock-Carmarthen-Fishguard & Goodwick-Clarbeston Road-Milford Haven-Whitland-Tenby. (I had not been to Milford Haven since the '80's. Think the Train I was on was on that day was the overnight Bristol Temple Meads to Milford Haven mixed Parcels/Passenger). There seemed to be a reasonable crowd getting off at Fishguard & Goodwick.
Enjoyed the shunt movements at Clarbeston Road. I got off the return Fishguard train at Clarbeston Road, which then went forward over the crossover to the east of the station, then came back into Clarbeston Road on the Down Platform. This allowed the Milford Haven to Carmarthen Train to use the Up Platform. After a twenty minute wait the ex Fishguard stock then shunted back over the East crossover to stand on the Up line. Next through the Down Platform was the empty 'Murco', followed a short while later by the Milford Haven Train, which I joined. The ex Fishguard stock would have then shunted back into the Down Platform after the departure of the Milford Haven Train to take up it's next Fishguard working.
A big up to ATW as well. The last part of my journey should have been Tenby-Carmarthen-Fishguard Harbour to connect into the 02:45 Ferry to Rosslare. Due to, what I can only surmise to be a failure to get a Token release for the Tenby-Whitland single line section, we were held at Tenby. The Train crew came through to advise that it could be some considerable time before the fault was fixed, and asked where I was heading to. I knew that even with a lengthy wait for the fault to be fixed, I should be able to connect with the Fishguard Train at Whitland. A short time later the Train crew were back through the Train to advise that control had authorised a Taxi to take myself and the other two passengers to our destination, (Kilgetty for the other two and Fishguard for me). As there was no-one at any of the intermediate Stations, (the Taxi called at all three), and knowing Whitland passengers could be catered for by the last ex Milford Haven Train, once Narberth was checked it was a quick dash down the A40 to Fishguard Harbour where I was delivered shipside, forty minutes before the Swansea-Fishguard service arrived. Chapeau ATW!