Road and rail closures and timetable cuts have had a ‘significant’ impact on lives and businesses in Gwynedd.

Calls to bring the issue to the First Minister of Wales’ attention were made during a meeting of the Cambrian Coast Railway Liaison Committee on 28 March.

Disruptions to services on the Cambrian line have occurred recently due to “essential” rail network repairs.

Further difficulties arose with road closures including the A470 in Powys.

Reductions of the Cambrian line’s winter timetable also had an effect.

Gail Jones, representing Transport for Wales (TfW), gave the committee an update, including a video describing engineering works closing the line between Shrewsbury and Machynlleth from 21 March until 3 April.

Buses have replaced trains between Shrewsbury and Machynlleth, with trains running between Machynlleth and Aberystwyth

Cllr Anne Lloyd Jones described the impact on children attending Tywyn secondary school and others travelling to college from Tywyn to Newtown due to simultaneous road and railway closures.

“Some people have not been able to get through for a fortnight to Newtown, students had to stay home unable to do their practical work,” she said.

Chairing the meeting, Cllr Eryl Jones-Williams said it was “a valid complaint” that people were being significantly affected.

“When road and rail services close together it makes life hard for people in rural areas, the detours are a long distance, very long.”

Gail Jones said the closures were “essential.” Network Rail’s work had been planned “far ahead” and couldn’t be changed.

The roadworks had also been “put back” because of the train collision in October, 2024, when a train from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth collided with the service from Machynlleth to Shrewsbury.

The loss of services on the Cambrian’s winter timetable – due to be reinstated soon for the summer – was also raised.

Cllr Jones Williams said people working in supermarkets and hospitality had been unable to return home due to the loss of the last service.

“It also affects lives, people can’t go out at night to shows in Barmouth, the Dragon Theatre, things like that are lost to our villages.

“The Welsh Government wants people to use public transport but they have to use cars here. By doing away with the last train, they go against their own policy.”

Cllr Anne Lloyd-Jones “regularly” heard how businesses were impacted.

“The Magic Lantern cinema in Tywyn had to reschedule everything,” she said.

Bill Redfern of the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Rail Passengers’ Association said the impact on some was “quite devastating”, with some people purchasing cars and longer day trips becoming “impossible.”

“The winter service is quite inadequate,” he said.

Pwllheli councillor Elin Hywel said people there “truly depended on the railway”.

“There is a lack of understanding or appreciation for what happens to our communities because of what happens on the railway,” she said.

Gail Jones would “relay the messages back” but said “the real power” lay with lobbying MPs and MSs.

“We’ll have to take this one to the top,” Cllr Jones Williams said.