A Plaid Cymru MS has accused the Welsh Government of “empty words” over proposed plans to cut rail services on the Heart of Wales railway line.  

Following a review by Transport for Wales (TfW), the provider announced that the service will be cut from five trains a day to four after the completion of the TfW Future Timetable Review. The changes are due to come into effect from December 2024, with also the removal of the two late evening services to Llandovery and Llandrindod.  

Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru MS for Mid & West Wales questioned First Minister, Eluned Morgan in the Senedd this week.

Mr Campbell said: “Time and again, you as a Government have encouraged people to use their cars less and to use public transport in order to meet climate change and net-zero targets. But, I'm increasingly concerned that these are empty words, because what's happening in the region that I represent is that there is contraction in terms of public transport.

“Just last week, we received confirmation that services along the Heart of Wales Line, that iconic railway line that goes from Llanelli to Shrewsbury, would be curtailed from December this year.

“The irony, of course, is that while transport infrastructure in mid Wales is creaking, more than £4 billion in funding is owed to Wales by Westminster as a result of the HS2 fraud.”

“Just imagine the difference that that funding could make not only to the Heart of Wales line, but in transforming public transport in every part of Wales,” added Mr Campbell.

Plaid Cymru has argued for more than a decade that spending on HS2 in England should lead to additional funds to Wales through the Barnett formula - the mechanism through which the Welsh Government is funded by Westminster.

Mr Campbell asked Ms Morgan whether there has been any discussions with the Government to “ensure that every penny of that £4 billion owed to us does come to Wales?”

The First Minister first told Mr Campbell she didn’t think that it was “empty rhetoric”.

Ms Morgan said: “The fact is we've seen, across the whole of Wales, an increase of 27 per cent in people using trains in Wales between April and June. That is a huge increase and something that we should celebrate. I accept that that is easier in some parts of Wales compared to others. For the Heart of Wales line, it is true to say that there will be a reduction in services, from five to four, but there will be additional seats available and there will also be capacity for cyclists on that line too.

“In terms of HS2, we are still putting pressure on the UK Government for fairness in terms of what's happened in relation to investment in that infrastructure.”

“I don't think that figure of £4 billion is realistic, but I do want to be clear that those discussions are ongoing,” said Ms Morgan.