Column for Barry & District News by Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP
It’s been a busy few weeks in the Vale and Westminster.
Locally, residents on Barry Island have been in touch with me to raise complaints about the continued problems with train services being terminated at Barry and not reaching Barry Island. This is a serious issue as, when services are cancelled, residents on the Island are cut off. For those who rely on train services to commute or to access services, this is completely unacceptable.
I have raised this matter strongly with Transport for Wales and I have been assured by the Chief Executive that they are investigating this matter. He added that they will be introducing a new performance regime from April, which will specifically analyse the cancellations and allow them to take action to prevent cancellations in the future. I am hopeful that this will bring about a positive resolution to this issue and I will continue to follow the matter closely.
It was also a pleasure to visit Barry Island at the weekend for the opening of Seadog hosted by Your Day, Your Way. I’m really encouraged to see more businesses opening in Barry, working in partnership, creating jobs and showing what Barry has to offer.
I’m pleased to welcome Andrew RT Davies to his new role on the Vale of Glamorgan Council, following his resounding win in the Rhoose by-election. I know that Andrew will do a great job of championing Rhoose on the Vale Council and I look forward to working with him in his new role.
Finally with Brexit in sight, I have met with key contributors to our local agricultural sector to not only discuss Brexit, but the wide-ranging issues they face at this moment in time. This includes measures to raise animal welfare standards, boosting productivity and dealing with threats like equine flu.
Understanding the needs and concerns of local farmers is important, as in the Vale, our agricultural sector is a significant part of our local economy. I want to ensure that agricultural businesses continue thrive after Brexit and receive the support they need from Government. That is why I have ongoing discussions with Vale farmers and have set up meetings for the coming weeks to ensure that their voice is represented in the Brexit process.
