A PLEA for North Wales passengers to have promotional fares has been made to the new train operator, Transport for Wales (TFW), by Clwyd West AM Darren Millar.

He asked in the Senedd whether TFW would offer similar discounts to those provided by the previous operator Arriva Trains Wales. He particularly asked whether a scheme similar to Arriva’s Club 55 scheme, which provided low cost, off-peak travel to passengers aged 55 or ovet. This allowed passengers to travel anywhere on the Arriva Trains Wales network for just £27.

Mr Millar said: “This time of the year it was usually the Club 55 promotion, which many of my constituents and others in Wales used, it offered cheap return tickets to anywhere in Wales for £27. That is what was traditionally run at this time of year by Arriva Trains Wales. Does TFW have a similar proposal?”

“It is essential rail travel is accessible and affordable to all. Arriva’s ‘Club 55’ scheme was very popular. I really do hope the Welsh Government listens to what passengers say they want and make sure TFW introduces a similar scheme.”

He also queried what progress had been made on plans to provide a direct railway service between North Wales and Liverpool.

He said: “Arriva Trains Wales was planning to introduce direct trains from North Wales to Liverpool in December of last year, along the Halton curve which has been improved to accommodate these services. Yet there's no news at all from Transport for Wales as to when those services will be re-established. The last time they ran was back in the 1960s and they are extremely important for the North Wales economy.”