Robin Millar, MP for Aberconwy, has welcomed the announcement that direct rail services between North Wales and Manchester Airport will be retained.
It had been feared that direct rail services between North Wales and Manchester would be lost following a review, that commenced earlier this year, by the Manchester Recovery Taskforce.
In a letter to North Wales Coast Line route MPs Chris Heaton-Harris MP, Minister of State for Transport, stated that “I recognise fully that, prior to Covid, passengers across the region did not receive the reliable service they require, and the Taskforce’s proposed changes ensure that as passengers return, the services are restored in a more reliable way.” Continuing, he said “the new timetable structure will see direct Manchester Airport connectivity for Liverpool, Chester and North Wales retained.”
Welcoming this announcement Robin said “retaining direct rail services with Manchester Airport is of huge importance to our local economy here in Aberconwy. In 2019, the airport welcomed over 520,000 tourists destined for Snowdonia and to other destinations in North Wales and 22% of them used rail services upon landing. In the same year, 899,000 passengers from across North Wales departed from Manchester Airport. Just 7% accessed the airport by rail and, as we seek to reduce transport emissions, we must be doing all that we can to make public transport as convenient, reliable and comfortable as possible.”
Continuing, Robin said “the service also connects much of the North West of England, including central Manchester, Runcorn, Warrington and Chester with North Wales. It is an invaluable link for countless families and for thousands of students and it is a vital service for tourists.”
The Taskforce, made up of Northern, TransPennine Express, Department for Transport, Transport for the North, Transport for Greater Manchester and Network Rail, took on board feedback from the public and stakeholders across the North, including North Wales, earlier this year and has acted on this feedback, adapting proposals to develop a new and high performing timetable.
In March, Robin, along with other North Wales MPs, made a detailed submission to the Taskforce public consultation that supported the option to retain direct rail access to Manchester Airport from North Wales.
AS Aberconwy yn Croesawu Cadw Cysylltiad Rheilffyrdd Uniongyrchol â Maes Awyr Manceinion
Mae Robin Millar, AS Aberconwy, wedi croesawu’r cyhoeddiad y bydd gwasanaethau rheilffordd uniongyrchol rhwng Gogledd Cymru a Maes Awyr Manceinion yn cael eu cadw.
Ofnwyd y byddai gwasanaethau rheilffordd uniongyrchol rhwng Gogledd Cymru a Manceinion yn cael eu colli yn dilyn adolygiad gan Dasglu Adfer Manceinion.
Bu’r Tasglu, sy’n cynnwys Northern, TransPennine Express, yr Adran Drafnidiaeth, Trafnidiaeth Lloegr, Trafnidiaeth Manceinion Fwyaf a Network Rail, yn ystyried adborth gan y cyhoedd a rhanddeiliaid ledled Gogledd Lloegr gan gynnwys Gogledd Cymru, yn gynharach eleni ac mae wedi gweithredu ar yr adborth hwn, gan addasu cynigion i ddatblygu amserlen newydd sy’n perfformio’n dda.
Ym mis Mawrth, rhoddodd Robin ynghyd ag Aelodau Seneddol eraill yng Ngogledd Cymru, gyflwyniad manwl i ymgynghoriad cyhoeddus y Tasglu a oedd yn cefnogi’r opsiwn i gadw mynediad rheilffordd uniongyrchol i Faes Awyr Manceinion o Ogledd Cymru.
Mewn llythyr at linell Arfordir Gogledd Cymru, dywedodd Chris Heaton-Harris AS, Gweinidog Gwladol dros Drafnidiaeth, “Rwy’n cydnabod na chafodd teithwyr ledled y rhanbarth y gwasanaeth dibynadwy sydd arnyn nhw’u hangen cyn Covid. Mae newidiadau arfaethedig y Tasglu yn sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau’n cael eu hadfer mewn ffordd fwy dibynadwy wrth i deithwyr ddychwelyd.” Ychwanegodd, “bydd strwythur yr amserlenni newydd yn sicrhau bod y cysylltiad uniongyrchol sy’n bodoli rhwng Maes Awyr Manceinion a Lerpwl, Caer a Gogledd Cymru yn cael ei gadw.”
Wrth groesawu’r cyhoeddiad hwn, dywedodd Robin “mae cael gwasanaethau rheilffordd uniongyrchol gyda Maes Awyr Manceinion yn bwysig iawn i’n heconomi leol yma yn Aberconwy. Yn 2019, croesawodd y maes awyr dros 520,000 o ymwelwyr a oedd yn teithio i Eryri ac i gyrchfannau eraill yng Ngogledd Cymru ac roedd 22% ohonynt yn defnyddio gwasanaethau trên ar ôl glanio yma. Yn yr un flwyddyn,hedfanodd 899,000 o deithwyr o bob rhan o Ogledd Cymru o Faes Awyr Manceinion. Dim ond 7% oedd yn mynd i’r maes awyr ar y trên, ac wrth i ni geisio lleihau allyriadau trafnidiaeth, rhaid i ni wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i wneud trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus mor gyfleus, dibynadwy a chyfforddus â phosibl.”
Aeth Robin ymlaen i ddweud “mae’r gwasanaeth hefyd yn cysylltu llawer o Ogledd Orllewin Lloegr, gan gynnwys canol Manceinion, Runcorn, Warrington, Caer â Gogledd Cymru. Mae’n gyswllt amhrisiadwy i deuluoedd di-rif ac i filoedd o fyfyrwyr ac mae’n wasanaeth hanfodol i dwristiaid.”
