Transport for Wales have not “really explained” the delay to the introduction of the hourly Cambrian Line service, in a letter to Aberystwyth Town Council.

An hourly service stopping at all stations along the Cambrian Line, between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, had been scheduled for 2022, but this has now been delayed to May 2024 due to Covid-19.

In September, Aberystwyth Town Council wrote to Transport for Wales, urging them to “reconsider the decision to delay the introduction of the hourly service on the Cambrian Main Line”.

In a full council meeting on 25 October, the town council discussed a response from TfW.

Clerk to the council Gweneira Raw-Rees said while the response “doesn’t say much”, it does say they are “committed to the service”.

She added they “don’t really explain why this line has been delayed”, but put it down to Covid-19, supply chains and the training of new staff.

It was decided the response would be discussed further in the next general management committee meeting, on the suggestion of Cllr Mark Strong, so as not to “eat time in this meeting”.

Cllr Mair Benjamin said the council have “been at this for a long time”, adding that constituents have been asking for the early train to be reinstated on a Sunday: “People do work on a Sunday and they need that early train. The whole has been going on for far too long, I think we can all agree on that.”