The Office of Rail and Road has launched an investigation into poor train punctuality and reliability in the Network Rail Wales & Western region.

The investigation follows a continued deterioration in performance in this region at a time when the wider network across Great Britain has seen performance stabilising.

As part of the ORR’s investigation Ben Lake MP attended an event in Parliament to relay the concerns of Ceredigion residents about the rail services from Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury.

Ben Lake MP has also written to Transport for Wales to ask what progress is being made to upgrade the service between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, and when new rolling stock will be introduced along the Cambrian line.

Ben Lake MP said: “The quality of the service for passengers on the Cambrian line is a concern for many Ceredigion residents, and I have received several complaints of severe delays and a lack of carriages on services running between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury.”

“While Network Rail has started to make progress on its performance elsewhere on the network, performance in the Wales & Western region has continued to deteriorate, contributing to a less reliable and punctual service for passengers.

“I support the Office for Rail and Road’s inquiries into the region’s performance issues, and am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to their investigation. I hope the outcomes of this investigation will ensure that urgent action is taken to address the problems identified so that passengers on the Cambrian line can soon enjoy a reliable service of a standard that they deserve.”

The ORR says: "Network Rail’s contribution to train service performance has been on an overall worsening trend since 2021, impacting both passengers and freight.

The region has therefore been subject to enhanced regulatory monitoring and intervention.