Plaid Cymru MS Arfon Siân Gwenllian and Arfon MP Hywel Williams have spoken out against proposals to axe direct rail services between north west Wales and Manchester Airport.

Proposals put forward by the Manchester Recovery Task Force (MRTF), could also have implications for heart patients and their families travelling by rail from north Wales to the Manchester Heart Centre with the planned removal of passenger services from Oxford Road Station, which serves the hospital.

Opposing the plans, Arfon MS Siân Gwenllian and MP Hywel Williams said: "It is vital to maintain this direct rail link to Manchester Airport from north Wales.

"This link is far from perfect at present but cutting this rail connection would be a severe blow to the north Wales economy.'

"It would also be a huge inconvenience to families travelling from Bangor to Manchester Airport for holiday travel and an unnecessary burden to north Wales heart patients and their families travelling by rail to the Manchester Heart Centre.

"It would also directly cause a growth in car traffic from north Wales into the Manchester area as people abandon rail, something that no one should want.

"The other choices on offer (apart from maintaining link) might suit the special interests of some people in Manchester but this would be yet another example of other people’s preferences being prioritised at the expense of people from north Wales through no fault of our own."