A MID Wales politician has branded public transport in mid Wales as 'pretty abysmal' after a long-promised hourly service was delayed again.

The promise of hourly train services between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury won’t start for another two years and will only operate in the summer.

A consultation released on Transport for Wales' website states that the planned hourly service will go ahead from May 2026, 14 years after they were first mooted.

Montgomeryshire MS Russell George raised mid Wales' transport issues with the First Minister Vaughan Gething MS in the Senedd, saying that Transport for Wales informed him in 2021 that the hourly service would be operational in May 2024, but now it has been delayed by another two years to 2026.

Mr George also highlighted poor service on the Cambrian, Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth line, with trains not arriving on time, or not at all.

He further highlighted to the First Minster a recent rail user survey that outlined that Transport for Wales has the worst customer satisfaction for any train operator in the UK.

Speaking in the Senedd, Mr George said: "I want to really raise to you about public transport in mid Wales from a rail perspective. It's pretty abysmal, I'm afraid. I continue to get constituents contacting me about delayed trains on the Cambrian line, and also trains not turning up at all at short notice. It shouldn't really be a surprise, of course, because Transport for Wales was the worst customer satisfaction for any train operator in the UK, according to the rail user survey.

But most frustrating to me is the delayed progress on an hourly service. We've had commitment after commitment that's gone broken.

"I'm now told that is going to be 2026 until we get a true hourly service stopping at every town on the Cambrian line between Shrewsbury and Aberystwyth. And even then, it will only be in the summer months."

Mr Vaughan responded by saying Transport for Wales was the 'best-performing franchise in Wales', adding: "That's a matter of fact, not a matter of opinion."

He added that rail infrastructure was not devolved and blamed a lack of Conservative investment in Welsh railways.

Speaking after the debate, Mr George added: "This fiasco has been going on for over a decade.

"If the Welsh Government want to reduce the number of car users, then they need to make serious improvements to public transport and they can start by ensuring Transport for Wales stop delaying the operation of a true hourly services between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury.

"I asked the First Minister to give a commitment to me and my constituents as to when we can expect a service with trains arriving on time and not cancelled at short notice, and when can we really expect that true hourly service, as was promised many, many years ago.

"Transport for Wales is wholly owned by the Welsh Government, and it was disappointing that The First Minister simply tried to deflect the blame and the responsibilities of his Government."