MADAM,

For the third time this year, my husband dropped me off at Abergavenny rail station to catch the 8.10am on a day return to Colwyn Bay to visit my mentally ill brother.

For the second time, the train was cancelled. The first occasion was because of a tree across the line between Newport and Abergavenny. This time the reason given was a broken down train somewhere between Cardiff and Holyhead. Arriva trains apparently see no need to make alternative arrangements for their passengers. So this explains the absence of school children, who usually populate the platform at this time of the morning. An irritating postponement for me, and maybe just very bad luck on the 66 per cent cancellation, but I wonder how often these children and their families have to fall back on contingencies.

On a more positive note, rather than asking my husband to make a further 50 minute round trip, I opted for the 45 minute bus journey on a Phil Anslow bus back to Monmouth. An excellent service, reasonable price and a pleasant ramble around hamlets I had never seen before. Whilst take-up wasn’t huge, (this was just after the morning commute time) there are clearly regulars who depend on this service.

I plan to use this service next Monday returning from my re-scheduled train journey (it might be 8.50am again!) I would urge everyone who can make minor adjustments to their plans to do so, to support this valuable service and also to complain vociferously about the cavalier attitude of so many of our train “services”.

Sarah James

(Monmouth)