In his regular blog for Caerphilly Observer South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle gives his take on recent news.
I received correspondence from Arriva Trains Wales concerning the stopping pattern at the Energlyn/Churchill Park station.
They told me that since the stop was opened in December 2013, two additional calls in the Cardiff-Rhymney direction have been put in following comments from passengers.
So from the commencement of the December 2014 timetable, the 6.16pm and 11.16pm Cardiff Central to Ystrad Mynach services was introduced. This is welcome.
Arriva said that because this was a last minute opportunity, it was not possible to provide this information in the current version of the pocket timetable. This will be addressed in the version that will operate from May 2015.
For the short term, Arriva will continue to examine opportunities for additional stops although they said that there was a limit to what can be absorbed by the existing journey schedule between Cardiff Queen Street and Bargoed/Ystrad Mynach.
This is a matter I will continue to pursue. A considerable amount of public money was spent to create this stop and my view is that every train should stop at Energlyn/Churchill Park.
I also attended a briefing in the Senedd last week given by Network Rail executives. They have put forward proposals to develop rail services in Wales over the next ten to 30 years.
Of course, electrification, which is much needed, is on the horizon and Network Rail is forecasting growth of 68% on the Cardiff Valleys network rising by 144% by 2043. The proposed Metro will be a major boost and converting some short distance routes to on-rail and on-street running could allow for more trains to run on the network, according to Network Rail
I was pleased to hear that there were proposals to provide more seats on the Valleys services during peak times.
Network Rail’s Welsh Route Student document can be viewed at http://www.networkrail.co.uk/long-term-planning-process/welsh-route-study/
The consultation process is open until June 9, 2015, so I hope Observer readers will take the opportunity to have their say.
The prospects for rail travel as we move forward look exciting. People in the valleys deserve a much enhanced service and I hope electrification and the Metro will take public transport to a new level.