Ebbw Vale Rail Link: Disappointment over 'Hand-me-Down' Trains

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 17th Oct 2007

New flagship rail service needs the best to get cars off the road

A leading member of the National Assembly for Wales has expressed his disappointment that the new Ebbw Vale rail link, scheduled to start operating later this year, will be made up of second hand trains.

Michael German, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats in the National Assembly for Wales, was speaking after questioning the Plaid Deputy First Minister, Ieun Wynn Jones, in the Senedd today. Mr German has long campaigned for new rolling stock for the newly restored passenger line.

Mr. Jones was asked by Michael German if he would ,as Minister for Transport matters, confirm if new rolling stock would be made available for the new flag ship rail service or that passengers along the line in Islwyn and Blaenau Gwent would have to make do with 'hand-me downs'.

The Plaid Deputy First Minister could not confirm and failed to provide an answer to Mr. German's cross-examining.

Mr. German added, "This is very disappointing. Residents and future frequent passengers on this new flagship train service to Ebbw Vale should expect a first class service - and that can't be provided with second-hand rolling stock. The Plaid-Labour government need to do better if they are serious about providing a very attractive, modern service to encourage cars off the road.

"Failing to get a full and satisfactory answer to my question, I have agreed with the Minister to write to him and get the exact details on the age and type of the trains, and when they were last refurbished. We also need to know how many trains and coaches are going to be made available. It's also important that there's proper provision for cyclists too. "

Mr. German said that all these issues were important if the Plaid-Labour Government were serious about creating a first-class public transport network.