Express & Star comment: Honesty is refreshing but beware
The old phrase ‘let the train take the strain’ sounds faintly ridiculous when you consider the plight of our modern railways.
Rather than the smooth, relaxing journeys depicted in that 1980s advert, today’s passengers have been forced to get used to outdated rolling stock, lengthy delays and cancelled trains.
Getting from A to B has never been harder on Britain’s railways, which means the continual push from central government to get us off the congested roads and onto the rails has largely fallen on deaf ears.
Indeed, there are so many problems with this country’s rail networks that it is difficult to know where to start.
Knowing which ticket to get is the first obstacle, bearing in mind the dizzying array of fare options passengers are presented with. Then there’s actually getting a train to turn up on time.
And if it does, good luck in getting a seat, particularly at peak times.
Franchise
However, credit must be given to Transport for Wales, which runs numerous services throughout the West Midlands. By its own admission, the firm has struggled since it took over the franchise from Arriva Trains Wales in October.
Passengers using its services have met with disruption and delays, as well as trains short of carriages leading to chronic overcrowding. As is often the case with our railways, the recent poor weather has not helped either.
This state of affairs is not good enough – and the company knows it.
Rather than bury their heads in the sand, it is somewhat refreshing to see bosses come out and admit their failings to the long suffering public.
All too often in these circumstances, the response to failure involves little more than a collective shrugging of the shoulders. At least in this instance there has been a degree of transparency – something that most people will appreciate in an era where accountability frequently falls by the wayside.
But Transport for Wales should be aware that such festive goodwill is unlikely to last long, and people will quite rightly expect to see improvements in the new year.
Bosses have pledged to get better. We will be keeping a close eye on developments to see if they stay true to their word.
