Trains agony avoided following reader outcry

Transport for Wales said it responded to the outcry from MyWelshpool and MyNewtown readers by providing more carriages for their packed Saturday trains last weekend, a move that was soundly praised by festive passengers.

Our story last week highlighted the issues endured by our readers over the previous two weekends, with hundreds of revellers cramming into two carriages to head to the Shrewsbury pubs for a Saturday afternoon out.

Many told us that they couldn’t even get on, and had to take taxis as a result.

But Transport for Wales listened and added more capacity, with the busiest slots having six carriages.

A Transport for Wales spokesperson said: “Over the last few weeks, demand for our services has been very high, and this past weekend proved to be one of the busiest of the year.

“We used passenger data and customer feedback to plan our services to make sure we had as much capacity as possible on the most popular routes.

“We made sure all available trains were in service, had additional standby buses ready when needed, and deployed extra staff at stations to support customers.

“Our teams worked hard to ensure that everyone got home quickly and safely, and we thank our passengers for their patience and respect toward one another and our colleagues.”