The Welsh Government and Transport for Wales are working in partnership with Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea councils to develop plans for the Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro.

The Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro consultation details a series of options for improving rail services within the Swansea Bay and West Wales areas.

These include increased frequency of long distance services, more local services from West Wales to Carmarthen and Swansea, development of Swansea Bay services and new stations and improvements to existing stations.

The consultation is an opportunity for people to have your say on the various options and help shape the future rail services in West Wales.

One of the options being considered is an hourly service from Swansea/Carmarthen to Tenby and Pembroke Dock (Option 9).

Tenby Civic Society has been examining the various options and has submitted their views on the consultation.

Neil Westerman, a trustee of the Civic Society, said that the Pembroke Dock line is now the busiest railway line in Pembrokeshire and Tenby is the busiest railway station in the county.

Official UK Government figures from the Office of Rail and Road show 247,196 passenger movements on the Pembroke Dock line in 2019/2020 compared with 200,414 on the Milford Haven line.

Tenby station recorded 116,874 passengers compared with 113,486 at Haverfordwest the second busiest station in Pembrokeshire.

Neil said that despite having the most passengers in Pembrokeshire the Tenby and Pembroke Dock line suffers from a lack of investment resulting in slow line speeds and the total lack of facilities at Tenby station.

“Trains services are operated by non air conditioned rolling stock to Carmarthen and Swansea with no through services to Cardiff or Manchester,” said Neil.

“By contrast the quieter Milford Haven line enjoys through services to Cardiff and Manchester operated by the most modern air conditioned trains in the Transport for Wales fleet.

Neil explained that with the growth in popularity of ‘staycations’ the Tenby and Pembroke Dock line has the greatest potential for growth in Pembrokeshire with significant increases in passenger numbers over the coming years.

“The introduction of long distance through trains from Tenby and Pembroke Dock to Manchester and Bristol would help to facilitate this growth,” he continued.

“This potential growth in passenger numbers would benefit businesses in Saundersfoot, Tenby and Pembroke.”

Other options being considered in the consultation include a London Paddington to Swansea service every 30 minutes, an hourly service to Milford Haven, reconfiguring services to Fishguard Harbour to provide one train every two hours and an additional service on the Heart of Wales line.

In the Swansea area the options include several new service including Swansea to Pontarddulais via Neath and the Swansea District line with new stations at Llandarcy, Llandore, Winch Wem, Morriston, Felindre and Penllergaer/Pontlliw.

A new service from Neath/Llandarcy to Swansea City centre via Swansea Docks together with new services from Ammanford to Gwaun Cae Gurwen and Swansea to Clydach.

The consultation is an opportunity for people to have their say on the future development of our railway services, and is open until June 8.

Full details can be found on the Welsh Government website at www.gov.wales (from the homepage select browse by consultations and look for Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro).

Another rail user has contacted the Observer to flag up concerns that due to the ongoing Covid situation, it appears that there won’t be any GWR direct services between Paddington and the Pembroke Dock line again this summer.