Arriva Trains

Transport Minister Andrew Davies has agreed to take up with Arriva Trains issues raised by Rhondda commuters after I mentioned them in both the Assembly Chamber and the Economic Development and Transport Committee.

I have raised several issues, including:

· The prevention of certain services’ stopping at Dinas, Tonypandy and Llwynypia during the autumn leaf-fall in order to hit timetable targets.

· The need for new rolling stock and more carriages

· The possibility of re-engineering the Station at Tonypandy

· Services to and from Cardiff on rugby international match days

· Revenue collection on trains

· Late night services to and from Cardiff

· The state of Treorchy station

· Attacks on train staff

· Anti-social behaviour on trains.

These issues have all been raised with me by a number of local people. The Minister told me that such matters were unacceptable and he would be ready to raise them with the train operator. The Minister pointed out that there was significant subsidy going into Arriva Trains from both the UK and Welsh Assembly Governments.

I have also written to Arriva Managing Director Graeme Bunker to ask for a meeting. We deserve better in the Valleys. The exchanges from the Assembly are set out overleaf.

Economic Development and Transport Committee:

Leighton Andrews: The principal issue that I want to raise is related to Arriva Trains. I am grateful to the Minister for setting out the average subsidy for the franchise per passenger kilometre, but I would be grateful if we could have a full breakdown on all routes. As you said, some subsidies are higher on routes that are less well patronised. I would like to know more about that.

I draw the Minister’s attention to pretty much the shambles that is the Arriva Trains service in the Valleys at present. I think that this is becoming quite a serious issue. One of my constituents, Mr Ian Price, of Cwmparc, has a letter on the issue in the Western Mail today, another of my constituents, Mr John Charles, of Tonypandy, has written to me about it this week, and constituents in Treorchy have also raised it with me again this week. There is a whole series of issues going on. It is not just the leaves-on-the-line issue, which I raised with the Minister last time and on which I have corresponded with Arriva Trains, that is causing derision, frankly, among many of my constituents because of the explanations that are being given. There is also the question of whether Arriva Trains is serious about its revenue collection on trains, whether it is dealing effectively with vandalism at stations and on trains, and whether it is taking the right kind of steps to protect its staff.

There are many other service issues at the moment. This is probably one of the biggest issues that my travelling constituents are concerned about. The basic impression that we are all getting is that there is inadequate attention by Arriva Trains to the problems that it is facing on the Valleys services, and it seems that you are in a position, Minister, to wield the big stick on this and get the deal that my constituents are looking for.

Andrew Davies: On your first question about the contribution of the public sector to GVA in Wales, I do not know whether that information is available. We will certainly follow it up, and if it is possible to provide it, we will do that. On the question of looking at the level of subsidy for each route or line, I have asked this question myself. It is not possible to give an individual breakdown, other than to say that the average for the whole of the franchise is 11p per passenger mile. On some routes, it will be significantly less than that, but on others, it will be significantly higher.

Christine Gwyther: Surely Arriva will hold those figures, will it not, Minister?

Andrew Davies: Apparently, it does not have that information. In fact, we have asked it about it, but it does not have the information. The situation with the Valley lines is clearly unacceptable. I have regular meetings with Arriva Trains Wales. Obviously, with the passing of the Railways Act 2005, and its delegation to the Assembly Government as of April next year, then we will have responsibility for that. There is a very significant annual subsidy—in the region of £120 million—going to Arriva Trains Wales from the UK Treasury, and a very significant investment over and above that from within my own budget. Arriva Trains has been left in no doubt that significant underperformance will not be acceptable.

On revenue collection, you may be aware that ticket barriers are being erected at major stations; I believe that Cardiff’s Queen Street is the first of the roll out, followed by Cardiff Central, Swansea and Newport. Arriva Trains clearly recognises that revenue avoidance is a big issue.

In terms of the safety and comfort of both staff and passengers, we are working with Arriva Trains Wales to roll out closed circuit television on all trains, as well as stations. Clearly, it is an issue, but if you could give me information about specific complaints, Leighton, I will take the matter up with Arriva Trains.

Leighton Andrews: I will write to you on those, Minister. I can understand how it can work out its average subsidy, because that is a very simple question of division of the subsidy across the number of kilometres, I assume, and therefore, you get a very crude estimate. However, I find it unlikely, to say the least, that Arriva Trains does not have some perspective of the actual costs of its services. I am not sure how it could bid for subsidies unless it knew that some lines were a lot more expensive than others and incurred more costs than others. Therefore, it must have some internal management calculations of its own, which perhaps it could be persuaded to dig deeper into and share with us.

Andrew Davies: I shall speak to Arriva Trains and ask the same question.

Assembly Chamber:

Leighton Andrews: Speaking of Valley lines and Arriva Trains, as I said this morning, I have received a number of complaints from constituents regarding a range of issues including the leaves-on-the-line issue, which has led to people being unable to get off at their platforms in mid Rhondda, the standard of stations, and revenue collection on trains. Will you please take up these issues with Arriva Trains, because we are entitled to a higher quality of service in the Valleys?


Andrew Davies: I could not agree more. A substantial UK Government subsidy of £120 million a year is going into the all-Wales franchise through the Treasury, and I have added to this with funds from my budget. Responsibility for the franchise will reside with us, as a Government, from next April, and it is being made clear to Arriva Trains Wales that we put a high priority on the quality and reliability of services provided in view of the considerable amount of public money going into the franchise. It is aware of my commitment and expectation and I will hold the company to this