Transport Focus is continuing to challenge Transport for Wales to improve its rail services.

The watchdog wrote to TfW in April, highlighting poor services and frequent disruption, and is calling on Wales’ transport body to listen to the voice of transport users and keep performance high on its agenda.

It asked TfW to take specific actions, and is pressing for these to be carried out.

Transport Focus is passing the information it has gathered to regulator the Office of Rail and Road, which has the power to make formal decisions. This information is also passed to Network Rail, which can carry out the necessary work in conjunction with TfW.

Transport Focus asks passengers on trains and at stations about their travel experiences. It puts the understanding and first-hand evidence that this provides into reports and uses it to identify recommendations.

Transport for Wales has an improvement plan for the Wrexham-Bidston line and plans to introduce more new trains for the North Wales service and on the Manchester-Cardiff route, which will give passengers more seats.

However,  Transport Focus remains concerned about poor information and support for passengers during disruption, which it says “is falling way behind expected standards” and is a key priority for passengers. It acknowledges improvements in the delay repay process, but wants to see more proactive promotion of the scheme, so that passengers whose journeys are delayed know how to claim the compensation they are entitled to.

The watchdog also acknowledges improvements to rail replacement services, with new branding and improved signage, and TfW surveying passengers to identify further improvements.

Transport Focus’s last Rail User Survey saw passengers rate Transport for Wales joint worst for overall satisfaction. It promises to look for improvements for passengers in its next survey in September, and to continue to raise issues and work with Transport for Wales to ensure the situation improves.