Jane Dodds has called the Heart of Wales Line (HoWL) a “lifeline” for rural communities and urged the Welsh Government to cancel proposed cuts.

The Mid and West Wales MS was speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday, November 12.

Ms Dodds called on the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Ken Skates to save services on the line.

Under proposed plans from Transport for Wales (TfW), services on the HoWL will be cut from five trains a day to four from December.

Two late evening services to Llandovery and Llandrindod Wells have also been scheduled for removal.

“Many people think that the Heart of Wales Line is just for tourists, but it is an essential lifeline for rural communities,” Ms Dodds told the Senedd.

“So, I would like to ask the Cabinet Secretary if he would rethink the plan to cut the fifth service and to go out and to listen to residents, all of whom spoke about how important this train service is to their lives.”

Ms Dodds was referring to a meeting organised by the Lib Dems at Knighton Community Centre on Thursday, November 7, which saw more than 100 people in attendance.

In response to Ms Dodds, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Jane Hutt said TfW is listening to feedback from passengers and key stakeholders.

Ms Hutt called the HoWL “such an important transport facility” for both the constituency and Wales more widely.

“It’s very regrettable when services are removed, and it's also really important that services, actually, are improved on the Heart of Wales Line,” she said.

“I understand that they will be improved by the provision of additional seating and cycle capacity, for example, on the services.”

Ms Hutt added that it is “a matter of what capacity can be prioritised and how we can safeguard and improve the services” on the line.

Speaking after the Senedd session, Ms Dodds said TfW seems “determined” to cut costs by blaming low usage on a line “plagued by breakdowns and delays”.

“It’s time Welsh Labour Ministers realise that investment is the key to success,” she said.