Assembly Member Meets Early Morning Commuters

11.26.25am GMT Tue 14th Nov 2006

Michael German AM and Cllr. Ed Townsend, leader of the Lib Dems on Newport City Council, greet early morning commuters at Severn Tunnel Junction railway station

Local rail commuters travelling to Bristol were met by local Assembly member, Michael German, to see for himself the effect that withdrawn train services at Severn Tunnel Junction will have on local residents.

Mr. German was joined by Welsh Liberal Democrat council group leaders Cllr Phil Hobson (Monmouthshire) and Cllr Ed Townsend (Newport), to meet commuters on early morning services travelling to the Bristol and Bath area.

First Great Western announced that it was cutting 16 services a day that stop at Severn Tunnel Junction for the winter timetable 2006/2007 due to come into operation in December.

Mr. German said, "The cuts in services means that commuters into the Bristol/Bath area will be denied well-timed services to get them into work in the morning and home in the evening.

"Just when everyone agrees that we must tackle climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions urgently, local train services are axed which will inevitably result in more cars on the roads."

Mr. German and Liberal Democrat councillors handed out a survey to rail users to establish the affect of the cuts. Phil Hobson added: "The survey will tell us in detail where people are coming from to use these train services and how they will continue to get to work and back despite the cuts. I find it incredible that the trains will continue to run - but not stop at Severn Tunnel Junction.

"For ten years now we have seen our local train services being cut back to the point where people like me have reached the point that we have got to get into their cars. It is time to say 'no more'.

Cllr. Ed Townsend said: "There is no other viable local public transport alternative to get people to work in the Bristol area at convenient times."

Mr German is to chair a public meeting on the train service cut backs hosted by Save Severn Tunnel Services (S.O.S.) on Wednesday, November 22nd at the Caldicot Male Voice Choir Hall, Mill Lane, Caldicot starting at 7.30pm.