Rail passenger group demands clarity on new Heart of Wales Line timetable

The Heart of Wales Line Travellers Association (HOWLTA) has written to the head of TfW James Price, to ask when the new timetable will be introduced and how it will be publicised.

“We very much welcome the re-introduction of the five trains a day service on the Line”, said HOWLTA’s Chairman Prof. Stuart Cole. Funding for the increased service was agreed as part of the Welsh Government’s budget settlement earlier this year.

“However”, he continued, ‘We appreciate that the provision of funding is only part of the development of a five trains per day service. There are obviously technical and management issues to be addressed . . . Therefore we are keen to see concrete and timely progress towards the introduction of the increased service.”

He noted that the five trains a day service prior to the end of 2024 was beset with problems of reliability. He said “we believe that with the benefit of that experience [the problems] can be overcome. For example we trust the you have overcome the staffing issues which affected the service, and that you will make arrangements to use reliable rolling stock and avoid it being reallocated to other routes as happened previously.”

He also stressed that the new timetable must aim to meet the needs of as many potential users as possible – local people, tourists and those attending meetings/conferences in Llandrindod Wells which is ideally located for gatherings of people from north, mid and south Wales. It should also improve connectivity with services to e.g. Birmingham, Manchester and London.

“HoWLTA would be happy to assist TfW with any ideas, advice or feedback that could help to progress this project,” he concluded.

Meanwhile TfW say they are committed to increasing the frequency of trains on the line.

A spokesperson for TfW said: “We recognise the importance of the Heart of Wales line to the communities it serves and the wider economy, and we are committed to increase services to 5 through trains a day from December 2025.

“We are in regular correspondence with the Heart of Wales Line Travellers Association (HOWLTA) and other interested stakeholders and will continue to update them on the detailed timings at the earliest opportunity once these have been validated by Network Rail.”

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