Yesterday, it emerged that new Transport for Wales tram-trains have been sitting virtually unused at the depot in Taff’s Well for almost three years.
Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Senedd for Bangor, Conwy Môn, and the Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, has expressed deep concern at the findings, warning that it raises serious questions about delays, accountability and the use of taxpayers’ money.
Janet commented:
“It is deeply concerning that these new tram-trains have spent almost three years sitting largely unused, with the remainder of the fleet not expected to enter service until 2027, five years after they were originally promised to be operational.
“This is simply unacceptable. Serious questions must be answered about why these trains have been left sitting idle for so long, what condition they are now in, and why such significant delays have been allowed to happen.
“ These are publicly funded trains, paid for by taxpayers who rightly expect to see improvements to our transport network, not expensive new rolling stock gathering dust in a depot.
“I am calling on the Deputy Minister for Transport to urgently work with Transport for Wales to ensure that the remaining fleet completes all necessary statutory testing and is brought into service as soon as possible.
“Passengers and taxpayers deserve answers and, above all, a clear timetable for when these trains will finally deliver the improvements they were promised.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
