Sir, New rail timetables started on December 12 (by one of those silly EEC directives, rail timetables must change in mid-December and mid-June, instead of the old obvious and easy dates). As usual, there is both good and bad news. The good news is that Sunday train services are back to normal after completion of track replacement near Bridgend. The bad news: while weekday trains from Pembrokeshire are little changed, those to Pembs. mostly take about 15 minutes longer. This is because FGW trains from Paddington now leave 15 minutes earlier; so Arriva trains to Pembs. had to be retimed between Cardiff and Swansea. They are now halfway between the hourly FGW trains, thus giving a fast Cardiff-Swansea train every half-hour. Unfortunately, it means that Arriva trains wait in Swansea about 40 minutes for the Paddington train to arrive. The bonus is that, given FGW's poor timekeeping record, there will be fewer missed connections at Swansea. Changing train times this side of Swansea is difficult due to the single-track stretch from Gowerton to Llanelli: changes in train times one way affect those in the other direction. Further, on the Pembroke branch, trains can only pass at Tenby. These two restrictions explain why Arriva trains from Swansea to Pembs can't wait for late Paddington trains. Things improve in December 2005, when Arriva's 'Standard Pattern Timetable' comes into operation. As regards fares, most have gone up about three per cent. Pembrokeshire fares are still cheaper than the UK average, and it is still considerably cheaper for two people (or four by 'Groupsave') to go by train than by car to Carmarthen, Swansea and Cardiff. The Pembrokeshire Rail Travellers Association committee has regular three-monthly meetings with Arriva officials (the latest on December 8), so you can be sure that Pembrokeshire's interests are brought to the attention of Arriva's management. For details of the PRTA, 'phone 01646 692752.

D. G. Watts, Treasurer, Pembrokeshire Rail Travellers Association,

102 Priory Road, Milford Haven.