Rail And Road Travel In Wales

EDM number 519 in 1994-95, proposed by Win Griffiths on 31/01/1995.

That this House deplores the announcement by the Franchise Director of minimum service specifications, which could result in a 20 per cent. reduction of Intercity services between London and South Wales, cutting the service between Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot and Bridgend to London from 17 trains to 14, from Cardiff and Newport to London from 21 trains to 17 and with the prospect of no services beyond Swansea; calls on the Government if it really believes privatisation is better to insist on a minimum service set at its present level and to demand from potential private operators specific plans for improving the South Wales rail service; warns the Welsh public that if minimum services on the profitable Intercity routes can be cut by 20 per cent. that local lines in South Wales and across country rail services could suffer greater cuts, with some services being threatened with extinction; further deplores other bad news for travellers in South Wales in the recently imposed increased charges for road users, including a charge of ú3.70 for private cars on the Severn Bridge; and calls on the Government to review its transport policies in Wales so that individuals and companies can enjoy an improved service rather than paying more for a poorer service by rail and road.

This motion has been signed by a total of 55 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.