A LONG promised hourly train service 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.
Cuts are also being proposed to the service between Machynlleth and Pwllheli.
The Transport for Wales Future Timetable Review says Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth trains on the Cambrian main line will run hourly, but only between March and September and from May 2026.
The review says 'difficult decisions' made by Welsh Government owned Transport for Wales, include the removal of four services between Machynlleth and Pwllheli, two in each direction.
Two further services will be retimed and will run between March and December.
From March 2026, there will be an 8.27am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm train from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and a 10.30am, 2.30pm and 4.30pm train from Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury, but only between March and September.
A 4.30pm train from Shrewsbury will run all year round.
The review for the Cambrian main line adds: “We won’t operate the 6:24am Shrewsbury > Aberystwyth between Shrewsbury and Welshpool. This journey will now start at Welshpool at 6:46am
“Previously, we’d proposed an extra evening train from Birmingham but at the cost of removing a ‘through service’ starting at Birmingham International (23:07 to Shrewsbury). Stakeholder feedback questioned the removal of that through service, so we will retain today’s pattern of services in the evening from Birmingham.”
On the Cambrian coast line, TfW says it will no longer operate the 5.07am train from Machynlleth to Barmouth and the 6.45am return journey.
The 8.52am train between Machynlleth and Pwllheli will not run between December and March, nor will the 11.37am return journey from Pwllheli.
The 8.55pm Machynlleth to Pwllheli train will run at 9.47pm and the 7.30pm Pwllheli to Machynlleth train will run at 8.26pm.
The review adds: “We intend to use resources freed up to put on more carriages on two of the following three services each way between Birmingham and Pwllheli .
Giving reasons for the cuts, the review says: "In the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic, the way people use public transport has changed significantly.
"It is imperative that we balance the needs for a regular, robust and reliable service against our targets to deliver more sustainable transport.”