Sir, In lasts week’s issue you reported on the increase in train passenger numbers in South Pembrokeshire. The figures presented by Peter Hill are available on the website of the ‘Office of Rail and Road’. They show that Tenby station is the second busiest station in Pembrokeshire with 123,314 passengers.

Perhaps more interesting, they also show that the busiest railway line in Pembrokeshire in passenger numbers is the Whitland to Pembroke Dock line with 267,338 passengers, an increase of 8,760 over the previous year. This compares with 239,372 on the Haverfordwest/Milford Haven line, a decrease of 3,978 over the previous year.

The question needs to be asked why the busiest line in Pembrokeshire for at least the last three years receives a second-class service with only local trains as far as Swansea operated with outdated rolling stock?

The Haverfordwest/Milford Haven line enjoys direct through services to Manchester Piccadilly operated by the most modern trains in Wales. They also have both earlier and later services than the Whitland/Pembroke Dock line. Despite these advantages, passenger numbers on that line have been falling annually for a number of years.

With the Wales rail franchise currently being renegotiated and a new train operating company expected to take over in 2019, now would appear to be an opportune moment to campaign for significantly better services on the Whitland to Pembroke Dock line. I for one will be writing to our elected AMs asking what they are doing to improve our train service.

Neil Westerman,

Upper Hill Park,

Tenby.