MID Wales train passengers have been forced to put up with an “inadequate summer of rail services” and improvements need to be made, according to an Assembly Member.

Montgomeryshire AM Russell George questioned Ken Skates, the Cabinet secretary for transport, over the performance of Arriva Trains Wales on the Cambrian Line over the summer, after the AM said he was contacted by a number of people angry that they had been stranded at train stations because of cancelled services.

Mr George’s questions came after services between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth were cancelled over the weekend of 8 and 9 October - which Arriva Trains Wales blamed on “operational reasons”.

However, Mr George said passengers travelling on the Cambrian Line deserved better.

He said: “Over the summer, angry constituents have contacted me to complain that services on the Cambrian Line have been cancelled with little or no notice, leaving them stranded on the platform, without any public information or replacement bus services.

“This is unacceptable and I was pleased that I had the opportunity to raise the matter with Mr Skates.

Answering Mr George in the Senedd, Mr Skates said: “I met with members from across parties on Monday in north Wales and I pledged to them to provide information from Arriva Trains Wales concerning the efforts that they are endeavouring to make to address what I think is an unacceptable summer of rail service provision."

Read the full story in this week’s Cambrian News, out Wednesday