Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has challenged Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, Welsh Government, over the decision to cut the direct train between Llandudno and Manchester Airport.

This follows the disclosure to Mrs Finch-Saunders by the Welsh Government last week.

Referring to the Welsh Labour Government and Transport for Wales decision to deprive Llandudno of its direct service, the Minister for North Wales was asked to explain “what Llandudno has done wrong”

The Minister responded to the Member’s contribution by stating:

“Thank you. Well, I absolutely agree that Llandudno is a major tourist spot in North Wales. I mean, the Minister for Climate Change and therefore the Deputy Minister for Climate Change have got questions next week. It might be worth raising direct with the Deputy Minister. But one area where I know the Deputy Minister is trying to make some inroads is getting more rail infrastructure in north Wales, so that we can improve rail performance, not just in North Wales but right across Wales.”

Speaking after scrutinising the Minister for North Wales and Trefnydd, Mrs. Finch-Saunders said:

“We don’t need any new rail infrastructure to keep the direct service between Llandudno and Manchester Airport.  What we do need is for the Welsh Labour Government to decide that the service should stay in place.

“With one hand we are supposed to be working towards net zero 2050, but with the other the Welsh Government is stripping the community of a key rail connection, and ultimately causing more people to use private cars.

“It is completely nonsensical that the train is being cut, and deeply insulting to the local community that there seems to have been zero consultation.

“The Welsh Government need to tell us what Llandudno has done wrong so to be deprived of a service which acts as the international gateway to the town.”