Students face lengthy bus trip

Students from Newtown are enduring a near four hour round trip to reach sixth college in Shrewsbury because one train service has been temporarily suspended.

That is the claim from Montgomeryshire Member of the the Welsh Parliament, Russell George.

He has called on Transport for Wales to reinstate the 7.04am Machynlleth to Shrewsbury train service on the Cambrian Railway because of the effect it is having on local students catching trains in Newtown, Caersws and Welshpool.

He said schools and further education colleges returned from the summer break with a planned that a mixed approach to teaching will be used, with students taught either in the classroom or using remote methods.

Mr George said: "A four hour round trip for students on a bus is clearly unacceptable at any time but especially as we continue to deal with the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic where travel should be kept to an absolute minimum.

"While a replacement bus service had been put in place instead of the 7.04 am train service which has been temporarily suspended, these bus services go via a number of communities, which extends the journey time considerably.

"I have urged Transport for Wales to reinstate the train service as soon as possible and, in the meantime, put in place other alternatives.

"I'm therefore pleased that there will be two coach services starting at 06:30 from Machynlleth as well as the one at the original time of 07:05 and that the 06:02 and 08:05 (Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury) trains are still running.

"However, I very much hope that the 6.30am Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury train service can be reinstated as soon as circumstances allow. I will be continuing my discussions with the CEO of Transport for Wales."