Assembly looks to renegotiate Arriva Trains franchise

Following news that the UK Government will bring an early end to the East Anglia rail franchise, Welsh Lib Dem Shadow Transport Minister, Jenny Randerson AM has called for a renegotiation of the Arriva Trains Wales franchise to allow it to be transformed from a “Cinderella service.”

Ms Randerson’s intervention comes after senior officials in the UK Department of Transport told an Assembly Committee that it would be possible for WAG to renegotiate the contract.

Jenny Randerson said: “It is very clear that the Arriva Trains Wales service is not as good as people would expect. The company are making every effort to improve services and the trains, but they are quite right to argue that they can only provide what they are paid for.

“When this franchise was designed, the requirements were cut right back to the bone, but the Department of Transport made it quite clear in committee that renegotiation was quite possible. The Labour-Plaid Government should start this process right away.

“We don’t want to have to wait another eight years for modern carriages and more services.”