Train company needs to think again on service cancellation

I believe that First Great Western should think again and reconsider its decision to remove the 5.18pm train from Cardiff Central to Swansea from its timetable.

The proposal, which will take effect from 11 December, leaves passengers travelling west of the capital city with no mainline service between 5.02pm and 5.38pm.

I commute between Bridgend and Cardiff every day by rail and often use that particular service to return home in the evening. It is well used and fills the gap at peak time demand.

I am very concerned that First Great Western has decided to cancel this important service. It will place an impossible burden on later trains which will have to pick up the slack, causing overcrowding and resulting in putting people off using public transport to make their daily journey to and from work.

It does not make any sense at all to be removing one of its best used services when we are doing all we can to encourage commuters out of their cars and on to rail. Over 300 people will be left stranded every night as a result and will be forced to wait longer for a train home.

Both First Great Western and Arriva Trains Wales need to work closer together to ensure that rail services covering Bridgend and towns further west are not adversely affected by these plans. The decision by First to axe a service that is in such demand with no contingency plan in place brings their commitment to passengers into question.