New Rail investment must not stop at Bristol - Randerson

4.46.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 23rd Jun 2008

Jenny Randerson wants to make sure any improvements in train services help the people of Cardiff

Welsh Lib Dem Assembly Member for Cardiff Central, Jenny Randerson AM has today written to Network Rail to seek clarification that the improvements to First Great Western Routes between Cardiff and London Paddington will not stop at Bristol.

Jenny Randerson said: "While I welcome the potential for more investment in this line, I am concerned that in the past, many improvements have stopped on the other side of the Severn. I have written to Network Rail to seek an assurance that any improvements will be for the whole route and will not result in the promised potential extra trains stopping at Bristol."

"Additional capacity only being on that part of the route would not solve the problems of overcrowding that we often see between Bristol and Cardiff Central."

Notes:

The text of the letter to Iain Coucher, Chief Executive of Network Rail is below:

Dear Mr Coucher,

I was pleased to note your announcement today that Network Rail will be investigating the case for new lines and capacity building on the First Great Western route between Cardiff Central in my constituency and London Paddington.

I am writing to you to seek an assurance that the review will be extremely wary of making recommendations for any developments to stop at Bristol. I have noted in the past that much of the capacity building by the Train Operating Companies seems to stop at Bristol. The route between Bristol and Cardiff central is one of the most overcrowded and overstretched services around and I would be deeply concerned if any review proposed that new services would stop at Bristol.

I would very much appreciate clarification that this will not be the case and look forward to hearing from you.

Yours Sincerely,

JENNY RANDERSON AM

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