Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has spoken in frustration at the fact that the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales have no plans to improve railway connectivity between Aberconwy and the up to 13,000 new jobs being created at the Anglesey Freeport.
On the day the £26 million UK Government investment was announced, Janet wrote to the Welsh Government so to ask if they would consider introducing a direct train service between Blaenau Ffestiniog and the new Freeport.
Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change has responded stating:
“There are currently no plans to alter the services on the Conwy Valley Line. Transport for Wales make every effort to ensure good connections at Llandudno Junction between the Conwy Valley line and North Wales main line services.
“Some of the main line services are the responsibility of UK Government delivered as part of the West Coast franchise by Avanti West Coast. Poor performance by Avanti has made it difficult for Transport for Wales to deliver the connectivity sought by passengers.
“Along with connectivity passengers have been seeking better trains. Transport for Wales are currently operating 6 of the brand new CAF 197 trains in regular daily service in North Wales. Part of our £800m that will see 95% of passenger journeys on new trains in 2024”.
Speaking after receiving the Deputy Minister’s reply, Janet said:
“I am delighted that a conservative manifesto pledge is being delivered and creating as many as 13,000 new jobs in North West Wales, but the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales need to step up to plate and ensure that residents can reach the new jobs on public transport with ease.
“I have been campaigning for years for direct rail services between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Holyhead and Manchester Airport, so I am astounded that the Deputy Minister has no plans to alter the services on the Conwy Valley Line.
“Thanks to the Freeport, we can foresee an increase in commuting from areas like the Conwy Valley and Aberconwy to Anglesey, so it is common sense to take steps now to have a plan in place to improve public transport connectivity in North West Wales.
“The lack of forward thinking by the Deputy Minister will likely lead to more reliance on private cars, and is contrary to the pledge Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru made in their cooperation agreement to ask Transport for Wales to work with local authorities in North West Wales and the Welsh Government to develop plans for an integrated transport system”.
ENDS
Photo: Janet supporting the Freeport
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy, wedi rhannu ei rhwystredigaeth gyda’r ffaith nad oes gan Lywodraeth Cymru a Trafnidiaeth Cymru gynlluniau i wella cysylltedd rheilffyrdd rhwng Aberconwy a'r hyd at 13,000 o swyddi newydd sy'n cael eu creu ym Mhorthladd Rhydd Ynys Môn.
Ar y diwrnod y cyhoeddwyd buddsoddiad £26 miliwn Llywodraeth y DU, ysgrifennodd Janet at Lywodraeth Cymru i ofyn a fyddai'n ystyried cyflwyno gwasanaeth trenau uniongyrchol rhwng Blaenau Ffestiniog a'r Porthladd Rhydd newydd.
Mae Lee Waters AS, y Dirprwy Weinidog Newid Hinsawdd wedi ymateb i ddatgan:
"Does dim cynlluniau i newid y gwasanaethau ar Reilffordd Dyffryn Conwy ar hyn o bryd. Mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn gwneud pob ymdrech i sicrhau cysylltiadau da yng Nghyffordd Llandudno rhwng rheilffordd Dyffryn Conwy a phrif wasanaethau rheilffordd Gogledd Cymru.
"Cyfrifoldeb Llywodraeth y DU yw rhai o'r prif wasanaethau rheilffyrdd sy'n cael eu darparu fel rhan o fasnachfraint Arfordir y Gorllewin gan Avanti West Coast. Mae perfformiadau gwael gan Avanti wedi ei gwneud hi'n anodd i Trafnidiaeth Cymru ddarparu'r cysylltedd mae teithwyr yn gofyn amdano.
"Ynghyd â chysylltedd, mae teithwyr wedi bod yn ysu am drenau gwell. Ar hyn o bryd mae Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn gweithredu 6 o drenau newydd sbon CAF 197 mewn gwasanaeth dyddiol rheolaidd yn y Gogledd. Rhan o'n £800m a fydd yn gweld 95% o deithiau teithwyr ar drenau newydd yn 2024".
Yn siarad ar ôl derbyn ateb y Dirprwy Weinidog, dywedodd Janet:
"Rwy'n falch iawn bod un o addewidion maniffesto'r Ceidwadwyr yn cael ei gyflawni gan greu cymaint â 13,000 o swyddi newydd yng ngogledd orllewin Cymru, ond mae angen i Lywodraeth Cymru a Trafnidiaeth Cymru gamu i'r adwy a sicrhau bod modd i drigolion gyrraedd y swyddi newydd ar drafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn rhwydd.
"Rydw i wedi bod yn ymgyrchu ers blynyddoedd am wasanaethau trên uniongyrchol rhwng Blaenau Ffestiniog a Chaergybi a Maes Awyr Manceinion, felly mae’n syndod i mi nad oes gan y Dirprwy Weinidog gynlluniau i newid y gwasanaethau ar Reilffordd Dyffryn Conwy.
"Diolch i'r Porthladd Rhydd, gallwn ragweld cynnydd mewn cymudo o ardaloedd fel Dyffryn Conwy ac Aberconwy i Ynys Môn, felly synnwyr cyffredin yw cymryd camau nawr i gael cynllun ar waith i wella cysylltedd trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus yn y Gogledd-orllewin.
"Mae’r diffyg meddwl ymlaen gan y Dirprwy Weinidog yn debygol o arwain at fwy o ddibyniaeth ar geir preifat, ac mae’n groes i'r addewid a wnaeth Llafur Cymru a Phlaid Cymru yn eu cytundeb cydweithio i ofyn i Trafnidiaeth Cymru weithio gydag awdurdodau lleol yn y Gogledd-orllewin a Llywodraeth Cymru i ddatblygu cynlluniau ar gyfer system drafnidiaeth integredig".
DIWEDD
Ffoto: Janet yn cefnogi’r Porthladd Rhydd
