People travelling from Cardiff to Barry Island are being stranded 25 minutes away from their destination.
Passengers using Arriva Trains Wales are being told to get off early at Barry Station. Trains are supposed to carry on to Barry Island but many have been returning to Cardiff.
Nic Hodges is a Plaid Cymru Councillor for Barry Town Council. He described the problem as “years of under-investment.”
He says trains are frequently delayed from Cardiff to the Barry area and many residents tell him they are inconvenienced by train services on a regular basis. He says it is particularly difficult for the elderly and people with mobility issues and is worried it might affect tourism in the area.
“After a long day at work or shopping, it’s a pain. And also for visitors, it’s not a good start to a visiting experience.”
Cllr Hodges says he has spoken to Arriva Trains, who say they are making improvements to the service.
An Arriva Trains spokesperson told CJS News it was “regrettable” that sometimes decisions are taken to terminate Barry Island train services at Barry because of disruption. They said the aim was to restore the advertised timetable as quickly as possible.
“We would like to apologise for the inconvenience that will undoubtedly have been imposed on our customers when disruptions have occurred.
“We will look to improve the customer information, both on board and on screens when there is disruption and endeavour to make alternative travel arrangements when there is not a following service due within a reasonable amount of time. We will also liaise more closely with the conductor on board in order to understand how many customers are affected and if any customers on board require any specific assistance.”
Arriva have met with Vale of Glamorgan MP Alun Cairns to discuss the feedback from his constituents. “The meeting was very constructive and we have since reviewed and improved the way we will recover disrupted services on the Barry line, aiming to minimise disruption to customers using Barry Island station wherever possible.”
