Ken Skates breaching the Welsh Ministerial Code of Conduct.yet again on 19/02/2018

Katrina Rowe

6th March 2018

1218

BarryLileswithCarwynJonesKenSkatesMay2014 — First Minister Carwyn Jones and Ken Skates AM

Copies Information Commissioner, Welsh MPs, Welsh Assembly Members,

Ceredigion Council Members, Aberystwyth Council,

Dear Carwyn Jones,

I shall be providing this email to the office of James Hamilton as an

illustration that the Ministerial Code is not being applied by the Welsh

Government.

I wish to complain that the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and

Infrastructure (Ken Skates) has breached the Ministerial Code by

promising on 17/11/2017 to action the recommendation of the Bevan

Foundation Review to examine a Trawscymru T3 route from Wrexham to

Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth and contrary to that promise on

15/01/2018 allowed changes to increase the delays to the Trawscymru T2

service in Dolgellau to wait for the T3 from Wrexham . Those changes

were beneficial to one group of passengers only, from Ken Skates AM

constituency of South Clwyd and disadvantaged passengers from the whole

of West Wales (Gwyned, Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire) on the 133

mile T2/T1 route from Bangor to Carmarthen The changes to the T2

contravened a key action of the published Welsh Government Strategy to

improve reliability and journey times on the strategic T2/T1 route.

Ken Skates has also failed to address the poor behaviour of his

officials David Hall ( Trawscymru Network Manager ), Simon Jones

(Director for Transport), and Sheena Hague (Deputy Director, Network

Management. Department of Economy and Infrastructure). His officials

have been allowed to lie, manipulate the text of information requests ,

carry out meaningless internal reviews which did not examine the

evidence, ignore requests, ignore questions, and threaten to remove the

democratic right of a member of the public to ask questions of the Welsh

Government. On 19/02/2018 Simon Jones removed that democratic right

again when I was told my communications with the Welsh Government (see

the questions in Addendum 2 to 6) were vexatious and that all my future

correspondence would not be acknowledged and filed. This is the second

time Simon Jones has made this threat. This action was carried out by

Simon Jones 1 day after I asked questions of Ken Skates regarding

discussions the Welsh Government had held with North Wales Councils on a

new Trawscymru route in North Wales. In other words I was being

silenced to avoid revealing Ken Skates intentions regarding the

Trawscymru Network, which he will reveal in May 2018. In May 2018 the

T1/T2 Carmarthen to Bangor service will remain completely dysfunctional

because of the 15 minute delays to the T2 in Dolgellau to wait for the

T3 from Wrexham for the benefit of a small group of passengers in the

Transport Ministers constituency of South Clwyd. Passengers on the

T2/T1 route (133 miles covering the whole of West Wales ie Gwynedd,

Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire ) will be left with no connecting

T2/T1 services and no connection on the last Southbound T2 of the day

with the last train to London in Machynleth, the last T1 to Carmarthen

from Aberystwyth and the last train from Carmarthen to Cardiff. In

May 2018, I believe the Welsh Government will announce a new route in

North Wales (Probably from Wrexham , which is Ken Skates favourite

place, to Bangor via Llandudno, which is the Trawscymru Network

Manager’s hometown, and via Conway) The T3 will remain a non

strategic , day trip to the seaside service from Wrexham to Barmouth for

the benefit of the Transport Ministers constituents in South Clwyd. .

The “high level” review of a T3 route from Wrexham to Aberystwyth

will not be actioned and the opportunity will be missed to make the T3 a

truly strategic service connecting the T3 through mid Wales with the T4

from Newtown to Cardiff and at its final destination Aberystwyth with

the T1 to Carmarthen and the T5 to Cardigan/Fishguard. .

I have already informed you on several occasions of breaches of the

Ministerial Code by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure

(Ken Skates) and I received a response from you on 21/12/2017 which was

inadequate. I would request that you re-examine the detailed complaints

that I made on 06/11/2017 (see attached email) using someone other than

Simon Jones, the Director of Transport within Ken Skates own Department

I would also request that you also investigate further breaches of the

Ministerial Code after 06/11/2017 which are detailed below in (a) to (d)

with detailed information in (1) to (7) .

On 9/10/2017 I wrote to you and the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and

Infrastructure (Ken Skates) regarding the Ministerial Code . On

20/10/2017 I received a reply from Simon Jones, Director for Transport,

Economy and Infrastructure, saying _“THE WELSH GOVERNMENT HAS NOTHING

FURTHER TO ADD ON THE ISSUE OF TIMING OF SPECIFIC BUS SERVICES IN

ABERYSTWYTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY NEW INFORMATION FROM YOU THE WELSH

GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE RESPONDING TO YOU FURTHER TO YOU ON THIS TOPIC

AND ALL FUTURE CORRESPONDENCE WILL NOT BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND FILED.”_

On 06/11/2017 I wrote again to you, giving detailed complaints that Ken

Skates had broken the Ministerial Code in respect of not challenging 8

lies and 4 unprofessional actions by Mr David Hall.( the Trawscymru

Network Manager). The complaints to the First Minister included the

following topics:-

-Connectivity of the T2/T1 route in Aberystwyth ,

-The recommended T3 Wrexham to Aberystwyth route ,

-An incorrect statement by the Transport Minister (Ken Skates) on

15th August 2017(WAQ74049) regarding the Trawscymru network

-The Bevan Foundation review conclusion and recommendation in 2013

The First Minister gave a very simple reply on 21/12/2017 to the

complaints using the comments of Simon Jones, Director for Transport,

Economy and Infrastructure , saying _“THE WELSH GOVERNMENT HAS NOTHING

FURTHER TO ADD ON THE ISSUE OF TIMING OF SPECIFIC BUS SERVICES IN

ABERYSTWYTH. IN THE ABSENCE OF ANY NEW INFORMATION FROM YOU THE WELSH

GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE RESPONDING TO YOU FURTHER TO YOU ON THIS

TOPIC.”_ My complaints to the First Minister of 06/11/2017 were

regarding multiple issues and not just the timing of specific bus

services in Aberystwyth. My complaints of 06/11/2017 went unanswered

by the First Minister and the First Minister had obviously used Simon

Jones , a Director in Ken Skates own Department to answer my complaint

of Ken Skates breaching the Ministerial Code. This action by the First

Minister was obviously in itself a breach of the Ministerial Code.

Two days later on 23/12/2017 I contacted you again regarding a lie and

misleading statement in Ken Skates letter of 14 November 2017 (reference

KS03829/17) to Alun Williams (Ceredigion County Councillor) which

breached the Ministerial Code. I received no reply. On 31/01/2018 I

wrote to you again giving you specific details regarding the complaint I

made to you on 23/12/2017. I received no reply

There have been further recent lies and unprofessional actions by the

Welsh Government shown in (1) to (7) below culminating on 19/02/2018

with Simon Jones, Director for Transport , refusing to answer further

questions on any Trawscymru Network subject..

(1) Ken Skates on 17/11/2017 promised a “”High level”” review of

the T3 Wrexham to Aberystwyth route instead of to Barmouth (as

recommended by the Bevan Foundation Review of Trawscymru) . Bizarrely,

Ken Skates then allowed the Trawscymru Network Manager to make changes

on 15/01/2018 to the T2 route to “improve connectivity with the T3

Wrexham to Barmouth Service”. Ken Skates has not actioned the

“”High level”” review.and instead has allowed changes to the T2

which have further eroded connectivity of the T2/T1 in Aberystwyth. The

changes to the T2 route were solely for the benefit of the Constituents

of South Clwyd using the T3 from Wrexham to the detriment of passengers

in Gwynedd, Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire on the T2/T1 Bangor to

Carmarthen route.

(2) Ken Skates allowed the Trawscymru Network Manager (David Hall) to

introduce the changes to the T2 service on 15/01/2018 that, not only

prejudiced his “”High level”” review promised on 17/11/2017, but

also contravened the Welsh Government Transport Strategy to improve the

T2/T1 route and the conclusion/recommendation of Bevan Foundation review

into Trawscymru.

(3) Ken Skates has also allowed the Trawscymru Network Manager on

15/01/2018 to reverse two specific improvements to connectivity on the

T2/T1 route in Aberystwyth that were put in place in 2016 by the

previous Transport Minister (Edwina Hart) and the Welsh Traffic

Commissioner. The reversal of these two improvements to connectivity

in Aberystwyth was unnecessary. The reversal was a totally vindictive

action by the Trawscymru Network Manager, who was overruled by Edwina

Hart and the Welsh Traffic Commissioner in 2016 after David Hall had

refused for 6 months to address my 2 complaints.

(4) Ken Skates has allowed the Trawscymru Network Manager on 15/01/2018

to change the T2 arrival time in Aberystwyth from 18.40 to 18.50 .

This service has been the subject of a complaint for 2 years as the

18.40 T2 arrival only connected in 25% of cases with the T1 departure to

Carmarthen at 18.40. The 18.50 T2 arrival change is totally unnecessary

with an unnecessary stop for 5 minutes in Machynleth (16 miles from

Aberystwyth) and an unnecessary diversion off the A487 on the edge of

Aberystwyth through Comins Coch village and through the Aberystwyth

Waunfawr housing estate. This was unnecessary and a totally vindictive

action by the Trawscymru Network Manager .

(5) Ken Skates has allowed his official David Hall to lie again saying

he had discussed the feasibility of the T3 Wrexham to Aberystwyth route.

(see Addendum 1)

(6) Ken Skates has allowed his official Simon Jones , Director for

Transport , to withhold information from the public on 19/02/2018 .

On 18/02/2018 I wrote to Ken Skates with questions regarding

discussions held by the Welsh Government with a North Wales Council to

introduce a new Trawscymru Service in North Wales. The subject of a

new Trawscymru Service in North Wales.had been kept under wraps and was

only revealed to me by a North Wales Council on 16/02/2018 , after that

Council had been issued with a Decision Notice by the Information

Commissioner to reply to questions sent to that Council 6 months before

on 13/09/2017. One day later on 19/02/2018 I was told by the Director of

Transport (Simon Jones) that my communications with the Welsh Government

were vexatious and that all my future correspondence would not be

acknowledged and filed.. Simon Jones singled out my requests ATISN

11954, 12006 and 12050 , 2 of which were due for a reply after the 20

days allowed by the FOIA, The questions I had asked in ATISN 11954,

12006 and 12050 refer to recent actions that have been taken by the

Welsh Government (The promised review of the T3 from Wrexham to

Aberystwyth route in Ken Skates letter of 17/11/2017, the T2 service

changes of 15/01/2018, and a proposed new Trawscymru route in North

Wales).

(7) Ken Skates has allowed his officials to provide benefits to T3

passengers which are purely for his own constituents in South Clwyd

The T2/T1 route from Bangor to Carmarthen is 133 miles long and is the

subject of a key action in the Welsh Government Transport Strategy to

improve journey times on the route. The T3 route from Wrexham to

Barmouth is 58 miles long and crosses the T2/T1 route at Dolgellau. The

T3 from Wrexham goes through Ken Skates South Clwyd constituency for 32

miles and then runs for 16 miles into Dolgellau through remote

countryside with the only place of any size ie Bala. Most of the

passengers using the T3 from Wrexham are the constituents of Ken Skates.

The Welsh Government have chosen to ignore the Welsh Government

Transport Strategy to improve journey times on the T2/T1 route and the

Bevan Foundation review which recommended the T3 should operate between

Wrexham and Aberystwyth. The Welsh Government have allowed 15 minute

delays of the T2 in Dolgellau to wait for the T3 passengers from Ken

Skates constituency of South Clwyd . As a result of the 15 minute delays

for the benefit of Ken Skates constituents the T2/T1 journey times have

INCREASED by between 1 and 2 ½ hours and there is NO CONNECTIVITY

WHATSOEVER GOING NORTH . Passengers on the 133 mile route through

Gwyned, Powys, Ceredigion and Carmarthen have been ignored for the

benefit of Ken Skates constituents using the T3

The following aspects of the Ministerial Code have been broken by Ken

Skates:-

(a) _Ministers should be as open as possible with the public, refusing

to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public

interest; Ministers should similarly require civil servants who give

evidence on their behalf and under their direction to be as helpful as

possible in providing accurate, truthful and full information_ .

Ken Skates has failed to meet this aspect of the ministerial code in

respect of (6) above and on numerous other occasions over the past 18

months..

(b) _Ministers are personally responsible for justifying their actions

and conduct to the public. Holders of public office should be truthful.

__Holders of public office should be willing to challenge poor behaviour

wherever it occurs.__ _

Ken Skates has failed to meet this aspect of the ministerial code in

respect of (1), (2) (3) ,(4), (5) , (6) and (7) above. Despite my

repeated complaints, since July 2016, regarding lies, manipulation of

freedom of Information Requests, 2 biased internal reviews (Sheena

Hague and Simon Jones) and poor behaviour by his officials David Hall

(Trawscymru Network Manager), Simon Jones (Director of Transport),

Sheena Hague (Deputy Director, Network Management. Department of Economy

and Infrastructure), Ken Skates has failed to provide one single reply

to my complaints. My complaints since July 2016 have been made

specifically to Ken Skates, but Ken Skates does absolutely nothing and

refers the complaints to the personnel within his own department who are

the subject of my complaints.

Member. Where Ministers have to take decisions on their own portfolios

which might have a particular impact on their own constituencies or

electoral regions, they must take particular care to avoid any possible

conflict of interest. Holders of public office should act solely in

terms of the public interest. Holders of public office must act and take

decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and

without discrimination or bias_

Ken Skates has failed to meet this aspect of the ministerial code in

respect of (1) and (7) above.

(d) _The First Minister may refer matters to an independent adviser on

the Ministerial Code to provide advice on which to base judgement about

any action required in respect of Ministerial conduct_.

The First Minister has failed to meet this aspect of the ministerial

code in respect of the fact that Simon Jones, the Director of Transport

within Ken Skates own Department should not provide advice to the First

Minister on complaints of breaches of the Ministerial Code by Ken

Skates.

COULD YOU THEREFORE RE-EXAMINE THE DETAILED COMPLAINTS THAT I MADE ON

06/11/2017 USING SOMEONE OTHER THAN SIMON JONES, THE DIRECTOR OF

TRANSPORT WITHIN KEN SKATES OWN DEPARTMENT COULD YOU ALSO INVESTIGATE

FURTHER BREACHES OF THE MINISTERIAL CODE AFTER 06/11/2017 WHICH ARE

DETAILED ABOVE IN (A) TO (D) WITH DETAILED INFORMATION IN (1) TO (7).

THIS IS HUGELY IMPORTANT TO THE PASSENGERS IN GWYNED, POWYS, CEREDIGION

AND CARMARTHENSHIRE WHO USE THE 133 MILE LONG T2/T1 BANGOR TO CARMARTHEN

ROUTE AND THE RESIDENTS OF MID WALES WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM A T3 ROUTE

FROM WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH

YOURS SINCERELY

Dr John McTighe

ADDENDUM 1 David Hall, the Trawscymru Network Manager, lies on

discussions held regarding a T3 route from Wrexham to Aberystwyth

instead of Barmouth

MY QUESTIONS IN ATISN 11622 ON 07/09/2017 REGARDING THE T3 WREXHAM TO

ABERYSTWYTH ROUTE

(1) Could you please name the person and job title of the Welsh

Government representative who undertook the feasibility study

recommended by Dr Winckler on operating the T3 Trawscymru service from

Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth..? (2) Could

you please tell me how much the Welsh Government spent to undertake the

feasibility study on operating the T3 Trawscymru service from Wrexham to

Aberystwyth instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth..? (3) Could you

please tell me what conclusions were reached after the feasibility study

on operating the T3 Trawscymru service from Wrexham to Aberystwyth

instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth.? (4) Could you please tell me

what recommendations were made after the feasibility study on operating

the T3 Trawscymru service from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of from

Wrexham to Barmouth..? (5) Could you please tell me on what date the

recommendation on operating the T3 Trawscymru service from Wrexham to

Aberystwyth instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth was turned down , and

who within the Welsh Government made the decision . Where was the

decision publicised and which County Councils were informed of the

decision.? (6) Could you please tell me where I can access the report

on the feasibility study on operating the T3 Trawscymru service from

Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth.? (7)

Could you please tell me what documentation the Welsh Government holds

relating to the feasibility study on operating the T3 Trawscymru service

from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth. ie

memos, meeting notes, data gathering exercises, etc ? (8) Could you

please tell me which County Councils were involved in the feasibility

study on operating the T3 Trawscymru service from Wrexham to Aberystwyth

instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth..? (9) Could you please name the

person and job title of the Ceredigion County Council officials who were

involved in the feasibility study on operating the T3 Trawscymru service

from Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth..?””

THE REPLY FROM DAVID HALL to all the above 9 questions on 27/10/2017

after 36 working days (20 days allowed by the FOIA) was “_I CAN ADVISE

THAT NO SUCH FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS CARRIED OUT_”

Statement on 17/11/2017 by the Minister for Transport Ken Skates

_“”I HAVE ALSO BEEN REASSURED BY OFFICIALS THAT DR WINCKLERS

SUGGESTION THAT CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ROUTING SOME TRAWSCYMRU

T3 JOURNEYS BETWEEN ABERYSTWYTH AND WREXHAM AS WELL AS BETWEEN BARMOUTH

TO WREXHAM WAS DISCUSSED IN 2014 WHEN GWYNEDD COUNCIL WAS PREPARING THE

TENDER FOR THE T3 SERVICE . A DECISION WAS TAKEN AT THE TIME TO NOT

PURSUE THIS OPTION””_

Statement by the Trawscynru Network Manager on 20/12/2017 “”_WE

DISCUSSED THE FEASIBILITY OF ALTERING THE ROUTE OF THE TRAWSCYMRU T3 BUS

SERVICE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS IN 2014 WITH LOCAL AUTHORITIES_,””

The local authorities named by David Hall (Gwyned, Powys and Ceredigion)

have all said they did not have discussions regarding a T3 route from

Wrexham to Aberystwyth.

ADDENDUM 2 ATISN 11754 22/11/2017 “”high level”” review of

T3 service from Wrexham to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth

(1) Could you please tell me on which page of the Bevan Foundation

report I can find the phrase you attribute to Dr Winckler “”I

suggest that consideration should be given to routing some Trawscymru T3

journeys between Aberystwyth and Wrexham as well as between Barmouth to

Wrexham”” (NB this has been the technique employed by your

officials David Hall and Sheena Hague when completely altering the text

of freedom of information requests to avoid answering embarrassing

questions they did not want to answer and divert questions to Local

Authorities)

(2) Could you please tell me whether your copy of the Bevan Foundation

report contains the following phrase in paragraph 2.12.in the words of

Dr Winckler “” I recommend that further work be done in advance of

the introduction of the proposed T3 service on the feasibility of its

operation to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth. “ (NB This

recommendation was based on the views of stakeholders to the report not

the “”suggestions”” of a Welsh Government Official)

(3) Could you please tell me on what date(s) in 2014 was routing the T3

from Wrexham to Aberystwyth discussed as you state in your letter.?

(4) Could you please tell me the name/job title of the Welsh Government

official(s) who were involved in discussions regarding routing the T3

from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.?

(5) Could you please tell me the name/job title/organisation of the

officials from external organisations to the Welsh Government (Local

Authorities and Bus Service Providers) who were involved in discussions

regarding routing the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.?

(6) Could you please tell me what documentation the Welsh Government

holds relating to discussions regarding routing the T3 from Wrexham to

Aberystwyth.. For example memos, emails, meeting notes, personal notes,

reports,etc?

(7) Could you please tell me the conclusions that resulted from

discussions regarding routing the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth and the

reason that ,as you state in your letter, “”a decision was taken to

not pursue this option”” ?

(8) Could you please tell me whether the conclusions and decision (after

discussions regarding routing the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth ) were

shared with the partners to the T2/T3 contracts ie Local Authorities and

Bus Service Providers. ?

(9) Could you please tell me the name/job title/organisation of the

officials in those partner organisations who were informed of the

conclusions and decision to not pursue routing the T3 from Wrexham to

Aberystwyth ?

(10) Could you please tell me whether your “”high level”” review

will consider the remit from Dr Winckler ie “” I recommend

that further work be done in advance of the introduction of the proposed

T3 service on the feasibility of its operation to Aberystwyth rather

than Barmouth. “ ? (Bearing in mind it cannot now be done in advance

of the introduction of the T3 as that introduction took place 3 years

ago)

(11) Could you please tell me whether your “”high level”” review

will consider the remit “”amended”” and provided by your “reassuring

officials” which is vastly different to the recommendation by Dr

Winckler “”I suggest that consideration should be given to

routing some Trawscymru T3 journeys between Aberystwyth and Wrexham as

well as between Barmouth to Wrexham”” ?

ADDENDUM 3 ATISN 12006 22/01/2018 T2 SERVICE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY

2018

(1) COULD THE MINISTER REPLY TO THE 11 QUESTIONS SENT TO HIM ON

22/11/2017 REGARDING THE BEVAN FOUNDATION REVIEW RECOMMENDATION TO ROUTE

THE T3 FROM WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH INSTEAD OF BARMOUTH. (YOUR REFERENCE

ATISN 11754) ?

(2) IN VIEW OF THE MINISTERS OFFER OF 17/11/2017 TO COMMISSION A

“”HIGH LEVEL”” REVIEW OF THE BEVAN FOUNDATION RECOMMENDATION TO

ROUTE THE T3 FROM WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH INSTEAD OF BARMOUTH, COULD THE

MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY THE T2 TIMETABLE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY

2018 WERE INTRODUCED, WHEN THE STATED OBJECTIVE OF THE T2 TIMETABLE

CHANGES IS TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY OF THE T2 WITH THE T3 WREXHAM TO

BARMOUTH SERVICE ?

(3) COULD THE MINISTER PROVIDE A COPY OF THE REMIT FOR THE “”HIGH

LEVEL”” REVIEW HE HAS COMMISSIONED OF THE BEVAN FOUNDATION

RECOMMENDATION TO ROUTE THE T3 FROM WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH INSTEAD OF

BARMOUTH ?

(4) COULD THE MINISTER SAY WHEN AND WHERE THE “”HIGH LEVEL””

REVIEW OF THE BEVAN FOUNDATION RECOMMENDATION TO ROUTE THE T3 FROM

WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH INSTEAD OF BARMOUTH WILL BE PUBLISHED ?

(5) COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY THERE ARE NO NORTHBOUND T1

SERVICES CONNECTING TO THE T2 IN ABERYSTWYTH AND WHY T1 PASSENGERS HAVE

TO WAIT IN ABERYSTWYTH FOR BETWEEN 46 MINUTES AND 1 HOUR 46 MINUTES FOR

THE NEXT T2 ?

(6) COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY THE JOURNEY TIME ON THE

CARMARTHEN TO BANGOR T1/T2 ROUTE IN BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH DIRECTIONS IS

NOW BETWEEN 1 HOUR AND 2 HOURS 15 MINUTES LONGER THAN THE JOURNEY TIMES

WHICH EXISTED BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE T3 SERVICE FROM WREXHAM TO

BARMOUTH. ?

(7) IN THE T2 TIMETABLE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY 2018 , THE NORTHBOUND

AND SOUTHBOUND T2 CONNECTIVITY TIMES HAVE BEEN SYNCHRONISED WITH THE

TIMES FOR THE T3 FROM WREXHAM TO BARMOUTH. IN ADDITION THE CONNECTIVITY

TIMES FOR BOTH NORTHBOUND AND SOUTHBOUND T2 SERVICES TO THE T3 WREXHAM

TO BARMOUTH SERVICE HAVE BEEN INCREASED FROM 5 MINUTES TO 10 MINUTES.

COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY THIS SYNCHRONISATION OF

ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE TIMES FOR T3 WREXHAM TO BARMOUTH AND T2 (NORTHBOUND

AND SOUTHBOUND) AND THE INCREASED CONNECTIVITY TIME OF 10 MINUTES WAS

NECESSARY.?

(8) IN THE T2 TIMETABLE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY 2018, THE CHANGE TO T2

DEPARTURE TIME IN ABERYSTWYTH FROM 10.00 TO 10.05 INTRODUCED BY EDWINA

HART IN APRIL 2016, TO AVOID FAILED CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE T5

NORTHBOUND AND THE T2 SERVICE, HAS BEEN REVERSED. COULD THE MINISTER

GIVE THE REASON WHY THIS IMPROVEMENT TO CONNECTIVITY IN ABERYSTWYTH HAS

BEEN REMOVED.? COULD THE MINISTER CHANGE THIS DECISION AND ALLOW THE T2

TO DEPART AT 10.05 WHICH WOULD RESULT IN THE THE T2 HAVING TO WAIT 10

MINUTES IN DOLGELLAU FOR THE T3 SERVICE FROM WREXHAM INSTEAD OF 15

MINUTES.?

(9) IN THE T2 TIMETABLE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY 2018 A T2 ARRIVAL TIME

IN ABERYSTWYTH HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM 16.35 TO 16.52 SO THAT THE T2 NO

LONGER CONNECTS WITH THE T1 AND ADDING 43 MINUTES TO THE BANGOR TO

CARMARTHEN JOURNEY TIME. COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON FOR THIS

CHANGE IN T2 ARRIVAL TIME WHICH HAS DESTROYED THE CONNECTIVITY TO THE T1

(10) IN THE T2 TIMETABLE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY 2018, THERE IS A

FOOTNOTE “T” WHICH STATES “CONNECTIONS WITH SERVICES T1/T5/T3.

BUSES WILL WAIT UP TO 5 MINUTES FOR LATE RUNNING CONNECTIONS”. VARIOUS

DEPARTURES FROM ABERYSTWYTH AND BANGOR ARE MARKED WITH A “T “.

COULD THE MINISTER CONFIRM THAT T2 SERVICES IN ABERYSTWYTH WILL WAIT FOR

CONNECTING T5 SERVICES ? COULD THE MINISTER ALSO CONFIRM THAT THIS

WILL ONLY APPLY TO T5/T3 SERVICES ON THE NORTHBOUND ROUTE AS THERE ARE

NO NORTHBOUND CONNECTING T1 SERVICES TO THE T2 IN ABERYSTWYTH?. SINCE

THIS FOOTNOTE “T” COMMENT IS ALSO INCLUDED AGAINST VARIOUS BANGOR

DEPARTURES COULD THE MINISTER CONFIRM THAT THE CONNECTING T1/T5 SERVICES

WILL WAIT IN ABERYSTWYTH UP TO 5 MINUTES FOR LATE RUNNING T2

CONNECTIONS?

(11) COULD THE MINISTER CONFIRM THAT THE T1 AND T5 TIMETABLES WILL BE

ALTERED TO RECORD THE ABOVE “”WAIT UP TO 5 MINUTES FOR LATE RUNNING

T2 CONNECTIONS”” ARRANGEMENTS?

12) IN THE T2 TIMETABLE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY 2018 THE 18.40 T2

ARRIVAL TIME HAS BEEN CHANGED BY 10 MINUTES FROM 18.40 TO 18.50,

THEREBY MAKING THIS SERVICE IMPOSSIBLE TO CONNECT WITH THE LAST T1

DEPARTURE OF THE DAY TO CARMARTHEN AT 18.40.

(13) COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY AN UNNECESSARY 5 MINUTE STOP

IN THE CENTRE OF MACHYNLETH (16 MILES FROM ABERYSTWYTH) HAS BEEN

INTRODUCED ON THIS T2 SERVICE (18.40 ARRIVAL) ALONG WITH A UNNECESSARY

5 MINUTE DIVERSION JUST BEFORE ABERYSTWYTH OFF THE A487 VIA COMINS COCH

AND THE WAUNFAWR HOUSING ESTATE AND BACK ONTO THE A487 SO THAT IT NOW

ARRIVES AT 18.50 NOT 18.40 ?

(14) WITH RESPECT TO THE SAME 18.40 T2 ARRIVAL , COULD THE MINISTER GIVE

THE REASON FOR REJECTION OF THE SUGGESTION TO DIVERT THE T2 INTO

ABERYSTWYTH VIA COMINS COCH/LLANBADARN AND MORRISSONS SUPERMARKET WHERE

SOUTHBOUND PASSENGERS COULD TRANSFER TO THE OUTBOUND 18.40 T1 TO

CARMARTHEN AT MORRISSONS , WHICH ARRIVES THERE AT18.45 ?

(15) WITH RESPECT TO THE SAME 18.40 T2 ARRIVAL , COULD THE MINISTER GIVE

THE REASON WHY A WAIT OF 5 MINUTES BY THE 18.40 T1 COULD NOT HAVE BEEN

APPLIED TO CONNECT WITH LATE RUNNING 18.40 T2 SERVICES AS REFERENCED IN

ITEM (10) ABOVE ?.

THE T2/T1 SERVICES AT 18.40 COULD STILL BE CLASSED AS A NON CONNECTING

SERVICE, BUT THE 5 MINUTE T1 DELAY OPTION WOULD MEAN 90% OF SERVICES

WOULD CONNECT. THIS SOLUTION WOULD BE FAR MORE SENSIBLE THAN THE

INTRODUCTION OF UNNECESSARY STOPS IN MACHYNLETH AND UNNECESSARY

DIVERSIONS AROUND ABERYSTWYTH HOUSING ESTATES.

(16) COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE NAME, JOB TITLE AND ORGANISATION OF

THOSE PERSONS WHO WERE INVOLVED IN DECIDING THE TIMINGS FOR THE NEW T2

TIMETABLE ?

(17) COULD THE MINISTER SAY WHETHER CEREDIGION COUNCIL WERE INVOLVED IN

AGREEING THE TIMINGS FOR THE NEW T2 TIMETABLE ?

(18) IN VIEW OF THE WHOLESALE CHANGES TO THE T2 TIMETABLE COULD THE

MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY NOT ONE SINGLE CHANGE WAS MADE TO THE T1

(ABERYSTWYTH TO CARMARTHEN) AND T5 (ABERYSTWYTH TO CARDIGAN) TIMETABLES

(19) COULD THE MINISTER SAY WHETHER THE WELSH GOVERNMENT HAVE ACCEPTED

(AND RECORDED THAT THEY HAVE ACCEPTED) THE BEVAN FOUNDATION REVIEW

CONCLUSION THAT THE T2/T1 NORTH/SOUTH CARMARTHEN/BANGOR ROUTE IS

STRATEGICALLY MORE IMPORTANT THEN THE T3 EAST/WEST WREXHAM/BARMOUTH

ROUTE.?

(20) IN VIEW OF ITEMS (5) AND (6) ABOVE , REGARDING LACK OF CONNECTIVITY

IN ABERYSTWYTH AND EXCESSIVELY LONG JOURNEY TIMES ON THE T!/T2

CARMARTHEN/BANGOR ROUTE, COULD THE MINISTER SAY WHAT PLANS THE WELSH

GOVERNMENT HAVE FOR ADDRESSING THIS SITUATION AND INTRODUCING

IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS ROUTE. ?

(21) COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY THE T2 TIMETABLE CHANGES OF

15TH JANUARY 2018 WERE NOT PUBLICISED IN THE MEDIA , ON BUSES , IN BUS

SHELTERS ETC BEFORE THE SERVICES WERE INTRODUCED ?

(22) COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY PRINTED TIMETABLES ARE NOT

AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY 2018 ?

(23) COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY THE ELECTRONIC SCREENS IN

TRAWSCYMRU BUSES NO LONGER PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC ? COULD

THE MINISTER GIVE THE REASON WHY THE ELECTRONIC SCREENS IN TRAWSCYMRU

BUSES HAVE NOT BEEN USED TO ADVISE THE PUBLIC OF THE T3/T2 TIMETABLE

CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY 2018 ?

THE ELECTRONIC SCREENS EITHER SHOW THE TRAWSCYMRU LOGO OR ARE SWITCHED

OFF. .

(24) COULD THE MINISTER GIVE THE FIGURE THAT HAS BEEN SPENT ON

ELECTRONIC SCREEN TECHNOLOGY ON TRAWSCYMRU BUSES ?

ADDENDUM 4 ATISN 11954 25/01/2018 T2 and T3 service changes introduced

in January 2018 and Trawscymru services between Wrexham and Aberystwyth

Could you please provide the following information:-

All communications (written and email) between 01/11/17 and 25/1/18 made

by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport (Ken Skates) and all

communications (written and email) between 01/11/17 and 25/1/18 made by

the Trawscymru Network Manager (David Hall) on the topic of the

Trawscymru T2 and T3 service changes introduced in January 2018

All communications (written and email) between 21/11/17 and 25/1/18 made

by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport (Ken Skates) and all

communications (written and email) between 21/11/17 and 25/1/18 made by

the Trawscymru Network Manager (David Hall) on the the topic of the

freedom of information request dated 22/11/17 regarding the “”high

level”” review into operation of Trawscymru services between Wrexham

and Aberystwyth

ADDENDUM 5 ATISN 12050 07/02/2018 T3 service operation from Wrexham to

Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth.

DEAR SHEENA HAGUE,

I understand you have been involved in discussions regarding the

recommendation of the Bevan Foundation report on the Trawscymru Network.

to operate the T3 service from Wrexham to Aberystwyth rather than

Barmouth. ? Could you therefore answer the following questions.

(1) Could you please tell me whether you have a copy of the Bevan

Foundation report on the Trawscymru Network produced in 2013 ?

(2) Could you please tell me whether you have read the Bevan Foundation

report on the Trawscymru Network produced in 2013 ?

(3) Could you please tell me whether you are aware of the conclusion in

the Bevan report that “” there was a stronger strategic case for the

long-distance, north-south corridor T2/T1 (Bangor /Carmarthen) compared

to the T3 (Wrexham / Barmouth) ?

(4) Could you please tell me whether you are aware of the recommendation

in the Bevan Foundation report ”” that further work be done in

advance of the introduction of the proposed T3 service on the

feasibility of its operation to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth.

“”?

(5) Could you please tell me whether you took part in discussions in

advance of the introduction of the proposed T3 service on its operation

to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth. ?

(6) Could you please tell me whether you took part in discussions after

the introduction of the T3 service on its operation to Aberystwyth

rather than Barmouth. ?

(7) Could you please tell me on what date(s) was routing the T3 from

Wrexham to Aberystwyth discussed by you ?

(8) Could you please tell me the name/job title of the Welsh Government

official(s) who you were involved in discussions with regarding routing

the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.?

(9) Could you please tell me the name/job title/organisation of the

officials from external organisations to the Welsh Government (Local

Authorities and Bus Service Providers) who were involved in discussions

with you regarding routing the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.?

(10) If you took part in discussions regarding the T3 service operation

to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth could you please tell me what form

your discussions took. (verbal one to one, phone conversations, email ,

meetings etc)?

(11) If you took part in discussions regarding the T3 service operation

to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth could you tell me whether you

instigated any investigations by your staff regarding the T3 service

operation to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth.?

(12) Could you please tell me whether you or the Welsh Government hold

any documentation relating to discussions/feasibilty studies regarding

routing the T3 to Aberystwyth instead of Barmouth eg emails , memos,

meeting minutes, meeting notes, data gathering exercises, personal

notes, reports etc?.

(13) Could you please tell me the conclusions that resulted from your

discussions regarding routing the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth .

(14) Could you please tell me the reason that a decision was taken to

not pursue the T3 service operation to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth

”” ?

ADDENDUM 6 ATISN 12009 18/02/2018 regarding new Trawscymru routes in

North Wales

(1) Could you please give the job title of the Welsh Government

officials who were involved in discussions regarding new Trawscymru

routes in North Wales ?

(2) Could you please give the job title and organisation of the other

parties , notably Local Councils, who were involved in discussions

regarding new Trawscymru routes in North Wales ?

(3) Could you please tell me the new Trawscymru route(s) that were

discussed , ie start and end destination of the route(s) ?

(4) Could you please tell me when the last discussions took place

regarding new Trawscymru routes in North Wales ?

(5) Could you please tell me what documentation (meeting notes, meeting

minutes, reports, emails etc) the Welsh Government holds regarding

discussions regarding new Trawscymru routes in North Wales ?

(6) Could you please tell me what the next stage will be following the

discussions regarding new Trawscymru routes in North Wales ?

(7) Could you please tell me whether the “high level” review to

route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth rather than Barmouth (Reference

KS03829/17) has been included in the discussions regarding new

Trawscymru routes in North Wales ?

(8 If the answer to (7) is “no” could you please tell me when the

“high level” review to route the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth

rather than Barmouth will take place.?

(9) Could you please tell me whether the Welsh Government strategy (page

49 paragraph 4.5 ) regarding improving reliability and journey times on

the T2/T1 route from Bangor to Carmarthen was included in discussions

regarding new Trawscymru routes in North Wales ?

(10) If the answer to (9) is “no” could you please tell me when the

Welsh Government intend to take action to meet the Welsh Government

strategy (page 49 paragraph 4.5 ) regarding improving reliability and

journey times on the T2/T1 route from Bangor to Carmarthen.?

COULD YOU ALSO PLEASE EXPEDITE A REPLY TO MY QUESTIONS RELAYED TO YOU ON

22/11/2017 REGARDING THE BEVAN FOUNDATION REVIEW RECOMMENDATION TO ROUTE

THE T3 FROM WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH. (SEE BELOW)

COULD YOU ALSO PLEASE EXPEDITE A REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS RELAYED TO YOU

ON 22/01/2018 REGARDING THE T3 FROM WREXHAM TO ABERYSTWYTH AND THE

TRAWSCYMRU T2 TIMETABLE CHANGES OF 15TH JANUARY 2018 (SEE BELOW)

Copies Information Commissioner, Labour Leader, UK MPs, Welsh Assembly

> Members, Ceredigion Council Members, Aberystwyth Council,

> Dear Carwyn Jones,

> The Welsh Government Ministerial Ccde issued by the First Minister,

> provides guidance to ministers on how they should act and arrange

> their affairs in order to uphold these standards. In particular, they

> are expected to observe the 7 principles of public life.

> I wish to complain that your Minister responsible for transport, Ken

> Skates, has not complied with the Welsh Government Ministerial Code.

> He has not complied with the code in respect of his actions over the

> past 18 months regarding my requests for improvements in the

> Trawscymru network and regarding Mr Skates incorrect written statement

> to an assembly Member of 15th August 2017 (WAQ74049) regarding the

> Trawscymru network.

> My complaint relates to lack of connectivity in Aberystwyth between

> all T2 (Bangor to Aberystwyth) services and T1 (Aberystwyth to

> Carmarthen ) services . My initial complaint made on 6/1/2016 related

> to the T2 arrival at 18.40 and the T1 departure which was also timed

> at 18.40. I now know the reason for these strange bus service

> timings at 18.40 is that Mr David Hall (the Trawscymru Network

> Manager) has ignored the conclusion of the Bevan Foundation report on

> Trawscymru (published on 31st August 2013). That report indicated

> that stakeholders believed the T2/T1 (Bangor to Carmarthen) route was

> strategically more important than the T3 (Wrexham to Barmouth) route .

> Two months after this report was published Mr Hall (on 3/11/2013 one

> day after the T3 service was introduced) allowed the departure time in

> Dolgellau of the T2 to Aberystwyth to be changed by 15 minutes from

> 17.20 to 17.35 . The reason for the change was “”to provide better

> connections with the T3 from Wrexham”” which was contrary to the

> conclusion of the Bevan Foundation report. The 15 minute change

> destroyed the connectivity of this T2 service with the last train to

> London in Machynleth, with the last T1 from Aberystwyth to Carmarthen

> (T2 arrives 18.40 , T1 departs 18.40) and with the last train from

> Carmarthen to Cardiff. This 15 minute change was carried out

> with no examination on the effects on other services further South

> (confirmed by Gwynedd Council on 18/09/2017 ) and without discussion

> with the other Local Authorities affected by the change on the

> Trawscymru T2 service route (confirmed by Ceredigion Council on

> 04/10/2017 and Powys Council on 02/10/2017) Passengers arriving on

> the T2 in Aberystwyth are now subjected to the sight of the T1

> disappearing from the bus station as the T2 enters the bus station.

> Connectivity on the T2/T1 route for this service now stands at 15

> minutes in Dolgellau (for the T2 to connect with the T3), zero

> minutes in Aberystwyth (for the T2 to connect with the T1) and 11

> minutes in Carmarthen to connect with the Cardiff train. The normal

> level of connectivity for Trawscymru services is 5 minutes. Mr

> David Hall has refused to correct his disastrous action in Dolgellau

> and alter the T2 departure time because this would “”endanger

> connections with other services”” (the T3!!!) , David Hall has

> also refused to alter the T1 departure time in Aberystwyth as he says

> 11 minutes is required by passengers to connect with the train. The T1

> bus stops next to the platform and passengers have 20 yards to walk to

> the train. On 05/12/2016 Carmarthenshire Council (who manage the T1

> contract ) said they did not object to a T1 departure time change in

> Aberystwyth. .

> Mr Skates has not followed four of the seven principles of public

> life in the Ministerial Code of conduct.

> _(1) HOLDERS OF PUBLIC OFFICE SHOULD BE WILLING TO CHALLENGE POOR

> BEHAVIOUR WHEREVER IT OCCURS._

> __

> Ken Skates has not challenged the behaviour of his officials notably

> Mr David Hall, the Trawscymru Network Manager, who has been

> negligent in his management of the Trawscymru network . David Hall has

> neglected to action the one recommendation of the Bevan Foundation

> report to consider a T3 route from Wrexham to Aberystwyth . He has

> continually lied to two Welsh Government Ministers of Transport and to

> me (see ADDENDUM 1) , has altered the text of my freedom of

> information requests, has refused to supply information and has

> stated that connectivity of the Trawscymru network is a

> “Contractual and Operational” issue and responsibility therefore

> lies with Local Authorities/ Bus Operators and not with the Trawscymru

> Network Manager (see Mr Hall’s replies to questions on connectivity

> in ADDENDUM 2) . Ken Skates has done nothing about these issues and

> has also done nothing regarding Welsh Government internal reviews

> carried out by Sheena Hague and Simon Jones (Directors from his own

> department), which were inaccurate , ignored Mr David Hall’s lies and

> were biased towards Mr David Hall, the Trawscymru Network Manager.

> Mr David Hall has not carried out the recommendation of the Bevan

> Foundation Report (published in August 2013) regarding the T3 route

> in the Trawscymru network and has provided the previous Transport

> Minister Edwina Hart and the current Transport Minister Ken Skates

> with incorrect statements regarding the Trawscymru network for release

> to the press and the Welsh Assembly. Mr Skates has refused to

> question the incorrect information supplied by his official and has

> refused to revise his incorrect written statement regarding the

> Trawscymru network made on 15th August 2017 to a Welsh Assembly

> member. David Hall has not provided the Bevan Foundation Report on

> Trawscymru to the Local Authorities involved with the Trawscymru

> services and has not made Local Authorities aware of the conclusion

> and recommendation in the report regarding the routes on the

> Trawscymru network. To not make Local Authorities aware of the

> conclusion and recommendation in the report is not consistent with

> David Hall,s stance that connectivity of the Trawscymru network is a

> “Contractual and Operational” issue and responsibility therefore

> lies with Local Authorities/ Bus Operators and not with the Trawscymru

> Network Manager. . Ken Skates has allowed David Hall to continually

> use the “Contractual” excuse for not acting to improve

> connectivity in the Trawscymru network.

> In his efforts to protect Mr Hall, Ken Skates misled a fellow AM ,Neil

> Hamilton , on 20/06/2017 saying “I have offered a meeting with one

> of my Senior Officials but this offer has not been taken up.”. This

> offer of a meeting was made to me by Ken Skates on 28/07/2016 On

> 31/07/2016 I provided a list of facts to Ken Skates regarding

> Trawscymru service connectivity and asked for him to arrange for his

> officials to agree/disagree those facts for tabling and discussion at

> such a meeting. Ken Skates did not respond to this request and there

> has been no further mention of such a meeting.

> Instead of confronting Mr David Hall’s unprofessional behaviour Ken

> Skates has recently issued instructions on 20th October 2017 via Simon

> Jones (his Director of Transport), that all my future correspondence

> will be filed and ignored. Simon Jones was himself referred by me

> to the Information Commissioner on the preceding day (19th October

> 2017) for refusing to investigate (in an internal review) a lie by Mr

> David Hall regarding his “”not holding information on Trawscymru

> service monitoring in Aberystwyth.”” Ken Skates (by saying all

> my future correspondence will be filed and ignored) is silencing a

> voice which is critical of his officials behaviour and this is not the

> action of a Minister who is “” willing to challenge poor behaviour

> wherever it occurs””.

> __

> _(2) HOLDERS OF PUBLIC OFFICE MUST ACT AND TAKE DECISIONS

> IMPARTIALLY, FAIRLY AND ON MERIT, USING THE BEST EVIDENCE AND WITHOUT

> DISCRIMINATION OR BIAS. _

> Ken Skates has been made fully aware of the facts regarding the delays

> to the T2 introduced on 3/11/2013 in Dolgellau , along with its

> catastrophic consequences . Despite the fact that I have supplied

> detailed facts regarding excessive connectivity on the T2/T1 route in

> both Dolgellau and in Carmarthen , Ken Skates has refused to authorise

> correction of this situation . Ken Skates has been happy to accept his

> official Mr David Hall’s loose statements such as “cannot change

> the timetable in Dolgellau due to endangering other bus

> connections”, and “cannot change the timetable in Aberystwyth due

> to the connection with the train in Carmarthen ” . Ken Skates has

> refused to consider detailed facts regarding “connection times

> between Trawscymru services”. Ken Skates has not been prepared to

> “”take a decision impartially, fairly and on merit, using the

> best evidence”” . There have been no statements from the Welsh

> Government that have used the “best evidence” . There have been

> no statements from the Welsh Government that are “impartial”. .

> There have been no statements from the Welsh Government that are

> “fair”. .

> (3) _ IT IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE THAT MINISTERS GIVE ACCURATE AND

> TRUTHFUL INFORMATION TO THE ASSEMBLY, CORRECTING ANY INADVERTENT ERROR

> AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY._

> On 15th August 2017 Ken Skates gave an incorrect written statement in

> reply to a question from Janet Finch_-_Saunders, the Conservative

> Assembly Member for Aberconwy in the National Assembly for Wales. The

> question was “”How does the Cabinet Secretary intend to increase

> the TrawsCymru bus services to North Wales? (WAQ74049)””. Ken

> Skates made the following statement in his reply on 15 August 2017

> ””_The current network of seven TrawsCymru routes is based on the

> recommendations of the independent review carried out by Dr Winkler of

> the Bevan Foundation. We keep the network under constant review and

> have recently begun a pilot programme offering free weekend TrawsCymru

> bus travel across Wales. The pilot applies to all buses on the

> TrawsCymru network and will run every weekend until at least May 2018.

> It is hoped the scheme will act as a catalyst for bus travel in Wales,

> boosting not only the number of passengers but also wider use of the

> TrawsCymru routes. The introduction of any new services in north Wales

> would be done in consultation with local authorities and local

> stakeholders_.””

> The only recommendation by Dr Winkler dealing with the Trawscymru

> network was regarding the T3 route, which was a new route about to

> be introduced . DR WINKLER SAID IN THE REPORT “”HOWEVER I

> RECOMMEND THAT FURTHER WORK BE DONE IN ADVANCE OF THE INTRODUCTION OF

> THE PROPOSED T3 SERVICE ON THE FEASIBILITY OF ITS OPERATION TO

> ABERYSTWYTH RATHER THAN BARMOUTH.””.

> The written statement by Ken Skates on 15th August was therefore not

> correct as THE ONE RECOMMENDATION ON THE TRAWSCYMRU NETWORK REGARDING

> THE T3 ROUTE WAS NEVER CARRIED OUT BY THE TRAWSCYMRU NETWORK MANAGER

> {HE HAS SINCE ADMITTED THIS ON 27/10/2017). The T3 Wrexham to

> Barmouth route was introduced 2 months after the report was published

> and the recommendation regarding the T3 route from Wrexham to

> Aberystwyth was ignored. The Local Authorities involved in the

> T2/T3/T1 Trawscymru contracts were not told of the existence of the

> report or its conclusion/recommendation regarding the Trawscymru

> Network and the T3 route..

> On 30/08/2017 I emailed Ken Skates to inform him of his incorrect

> statement which had been published on the Welsh Government website and

> I received no response. On 07/09/2017 I made a freedom of Information

> request to Ken Skates regarding his incorrect statement . Ken Skates

> ignored this request and I repeated it on 27/09/2017. This second

> request was also ignored. On 09/10/2017 I sent a fourth email

> reminding him that the statutory 20 days to reply to a Freedom of

> Information request had expired and this also was ignored. On

> 14/10/2017 I referred Ken Skates to the Information Commissioner for

> ignoring my information request regarding the incorrect statement.

> On 19/10/2017 I received an acknowledgement from David Hall saying

> “”thank you for your information request which the Welsh

> Government received on 7th September””. A reply to my

> information request finally came from David Hall on 27/10/2017 (see

> ADDENDUM 2 covering my requests and the replies ). David Hall copied

> in the Information Commissioner to his reply and included a long

> detailed explanation of the “”timeliness of the request”” .

> True to form David Hall could not resist telling lies to the

> Information Commissioner and stated in his reply “”your request

> was not registered until you sent us a reminder on 9th October””.

> He had forgotten that he had said on 19/10/2017 (when he

> acknowledged receipt of the request) that “”the Welsh Government

> received the information request on the 7th September”” and had

> also forgotten that the four emails of 30/08/2017 , 07/09/2017,

> 27/09/2017 and 09/10/2017 had been ignored and were only responded to

> on 19/10/2017 after my referral of Ken Skates to the Information

> Commissioner on 14/10/2017.

> Ken Skates has broken the Ministerial Code in respect of:-

> a) Making the incorrect statement on 15th August 2017 and not

> subsequently correcting that incorrect statement after he was informed

> on 30/08/2017.

> b) Ignoring the information request to him on 07/09/2017 for

> Information regarding the incorrect statement , necessitating a

> referral to the Information Commissioner.

> c) Not investigating the Bevan Foundation report recommendation

> regarding the Trawscymru network after I told him on 30/08/2017 of the

> incorrect reference to recommendation in the statement which he made

> on 15/08/2017 .

> d) Not investigating why the Bevan Foundation report recommendation

> in 2013 regarding the Trawscymru network was not actioned by the

> Trawscymru Network Manager.

> e) Allowing the Trawscymru Network Manager to lie to the Information

> Commissioner regarding the “”timeliness of the request”” (my

> request to Ken Skates of 07/09/2017)

> _(4) HOLDERS OF PUBLIC OFFICE ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR

> DECISIONS AND ACTIONS AND MUST SUBMIT THEMSELVES TO THE SCRUTINY

> NECESSARY TO ENSURE THIS. HOLDERS OF PUBLIC OFFICE SHOULD ACT AND TAKE

> DECISIONS IN AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT MANNER. INFORMATION SHOULD NOT BE

> WITHHELD FROM THE PUBLIC UNLESS THERE ARE CLEAR AND LAWFUL REASONS FOR

> SO DOING ._

> __

> I have made repeated requests for Ken Skates to look at the facts (ie

> the timings) regarding connectivity of Trawscymru services.. Ken

> Skates refuses to do this. All my requests are referred to David Hall

> , who replies with statements such as “We do not hold the

> information”, “exempt from disclosure”, “Not a valid request

> under FOIA”. Information IS BEING WITHELD FROM THE PUBLIC by Mr

> David Hall but his superior , Mr Ken Skates , is not prepared to stop

> this happening. KEN SKATES IS THEREFORE COMPLICITE IN

> “”WITHHOLDING INFORMATION FROM THE PUBLIC””.

> Yours Sincerely

> Dr John Mctighe

> ADDENDUM 1 LIES AND UNPROFESSIONAL ACTIONS FROM MR DAVID HALL.( THE

> TRAWSCYMRU NETWORK MANAGER)

> Action (1) Ignored the findings of the Bevan Foundation report of 31st

> August 2013 . Ignored the conclusion of the report that the T2/T1

> Bangor to Carmarthen route was strategically more important than the

> T3 Wrexham to Barmouth route. Ignored the one report recommendation

> regarding the Trawscymru network to examine the feasibility of routing

> the T3 from Wrexham to Aberystwyth. The feasibility study was never

> carried out (confirmed by Gwyned Council (on 18/09/2017 ),Denbighshire

> Council (on 15/09/2017 ),, Powys Council (on 02/10/2017), Ceredigion

> Council (on 21/09/2017 ) and finally admitted by David Hall on

> 27/10/2017

> Action (2) Allowed on 3/11/2013 (2 months after publication of the

> Bevan Foundation report ) a 15 minute change to the Aberystwyth T2

> departure time “”to allow better connections with the T3 from

> Wrexham””. This was allowed to happen without consideration of the

> effect on services further South from Dolgellau on the strategically

> important T2/T1 route. The change resulted in connections being lost

> further South with the last train to London in Machynleth , the last

> T1 from Aberystwyth to Carmarthen (T2 arrives 18.40, T1 departs 18.40)

> and the last train from Carmarthen to Cardiff.

> Action (3) Allowed Gwynedd Council to use a 10 minute delay to the T2

> service to Aberystwyth under a “Quality Partnership Agreement”

> which was illegal and against the Road Traffic Regulations . This was

> only changed after I asked the Road Traffic Commissioner to intervene.

> Action (4) Insisted on retaining a 5 minute stop of the Northbound T2

> in a lay-by 2 miles outside Aberystwyth. The drivers had to carry out

> this unnecessary stop in order to get the T2 to arrive at the next bus

> stop at the time stated on their timetable. The reason for this was

> that the T2 departure time in Aberystwyth was 5 minutes too early and

> this early T2 departure was leading to problems with the T5 from the

> South connecting to the Northbound T2 in Aberystwyth . David Hall

> spent 6 months refusing to change this and the change to the T2

> departure time was only made after the intervention of the previous

> Minister for Transport (Edwina Hart).

> Lie (1) “”UNABLE TO MOVE THE T1 DEPARTURE FROM ABERYSTWYTH TO

> CARMARTHEN FROM 18.40 TO 18.45 AS THIS WOULD AFFECT KEY CONNECTIONS

> WITH SERVICE T5 AT ABERAERON WHICH ARE WORKING WELL””. David Hall

> lied on 24/02/2016 and 11/03/2016 . There was no such T5 service and

> after referral to the Information Commissioner this reason was

> withdrawn in favour of “contractual constraints”

> Lie (2) Following my referral of David Hall to the Information

> Commissioner he came up with “”IT HAS NOT BEEN POSSIBLE TO RETIME

> THE 18.40 DEPARTURE OF SERVICE T1 FROM ABERYSTWYTH DUE TO “_EXISTING

> CONTRACTUAL AND OPERATIONAL CONSTRAINTS_””” David Hall lied on

> 29/04/2016, 17/05/2016, and 30/06/2016. There was no

> “_CONTRACTUAL” _constraint which was confirmed on 10/11/2016 by Mr

> Alwyn Evans, Passenger Transport Manager at Carmarthenshire County

> Council who said “”There is no contractual reason why the

> timetable cannot be altered.””

> As recently as 06/10/2017 Simon Jones (Director of Transport, Welsh

> Government ) used this in an “unbiased“ internal review as a

> reason to justify Mr David Hall,s stance for not dealing with 3

> complaints regarding Trawscymru service connectivity in Aberystwyth

> (made recently in August/September 2017) saying “”the majority of

> your requests are “operational or contractual “ issues which are a

> matter for the local authorities and/or the contractors providing the

> Service””.

> Lie (2a) Following introduction of the “”_CONTRACTUAL

> CONSTRAINT”” _I made a freedom of information request on

> 10/07/2016 to David Hall to supply the wording in the contract which

> would explain why the contract would not allow a change 18.40

> departure time in Aberystwyth. My request said “”I WISH TO PLACE

> A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST FOR YOU TO PROVIDE ME WITH A COPY OF

> THAT PART OF THE CONTRACTUAL DOCUMENT THAT YOU REFER TO WHICH

> HIGHLIGHTS THAT “CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNCIL ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE T1

> TIMETABLE BETWEEN ABERYSTWYTH AND CARMARTHEN AND NOT TRAWSCYMRU” AND

> ALSO THAT PART OF THE DOCUMENT THAT HIGHLIGHTS THAT “THE T1 MUST

> ARRIVE AT 20.37 AT CARMARTHEN RAIL STATION ALLOWING 10 MINUTES BEFORE

> THE NEXT TRAIN. COULD YOU PLEASE ALSO GIVE ME THE NAME, JOB TITLE AND

> CONTACT DETAILS OF THE PERSON AT CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNCIL WHO YOU REFER

> TO IN YOUR LETTER OF 3RD JUNE IN WHICH YOU GIVE THE REASONS

> CARMARTHENSHIRE ARE UNABLE TO AGREE TO A CHANGE IN DEPARTURE TIME IN

> ABERYSTWYTH.” On 02/08/2016 David Hall replied to my request but

> changed the wording of my request to read “”YOU ASKED ME FOR A

> COPY OF THE T1 CONTRACTUAL DOCUMENT” and went on to provide lie

> number 3 (shown below) “”THE WELSH GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HOLD A COPY

> OF THE T1 CONTRACT DOCUMENT “”and that I should contact

> Carmarthenshire Council. . On the same day (02/08/2016) I

> informed David Hall that the text he was using was incorrect but there

> was no response from him. On 10/08/2016 I complained to the

> Information Commissioner who asked the Welsh Government to conduct an

> internal review . The Information Commissioner had to write to the

> Welsh Government twice and after the second letter on 08/09/2016 ,the

> internal review was conducted on 14/09/2016 by Sheena Hague (a

> director within Ken Skates department). However the text she used for

> my Freedom of Information request was David Hall’s amended text

> which I had complained to the Information Commissioner about and not

> my original text. She used David Hall’s fully amended and shortened

> version of my request which in full said “”YOU ASKED FOR A COPY OF

> THE T1 CONTRACTUAL DOCUMENT AND THE NAME, JOB TITLE AND CONTACT

> DETAILS OF THE PERSON AT CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNCIL WHO IS RESPONSIBLE

> FOR DEPARTURE TIMES IN ABERYSTWYTH””. The review was accompanied

> by Lie (3) and the name of a Carmarthenshire Council official . If

> this behaviour by the Welsh Government was carried out in a law court

> it would be called “”perverting the course of justice”.

> Lie (3) “”THE WELSH GOVERNMENT DOES NOT HOLD A COPY OF THE T1

> CONTRACT DOCUMENT “” . David Hall lied on 24/05/2016, and on

> 02/08/2016 . The lie was repeated on 14/09/2016 in an “unbiased“

> internal review by Sheena Hague , Deputy Director, Network

> Management. Department of Economy and Infrastructure. Mr Alwyn

> Evans, Passenger Transport Manager at Carmarthenshire County Council.

> confirmed on 10/11/2016 that “”The T1 contract documentation was

> issued by Carmarthenshire County Council.to the Welsh Government, the

> bus operator and Ceredigion County Council””

> Lie (4) “”DISCUSSED WITH CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNCIL AND UNABLE TO

> CHANGE T1 DEPARTURE TIME AT 18.40 IN ABERYSTWYTH DUE TO THE RISK OF

> MISSING THE RAIL CONNECTION IN CARMARTHEN.”” David Hall lied on

> 03/06/2016 Carmarthenshire County Council confirmed on 05/12/2016

> they did not “object” to the change.

> Lie (5) “”DOES NOT HOLD INFORMATION ON TRAWSCYMRU SERVICE

> MONITORING IN ABERYSTWYTH””. David Hall lied on 08/09/2017. On

> the following day (09/09/2017) Bus Users Cymru confirmed that “”

> Reports of punctuality monitoring were shared with the relevant

> operator and the Trawscymru Network Manager””.. This lie was

> repeated by Simon Jones, (Director for Transport,Welsh Government) in

> an internal review on 06/10/2017.

> Lie (6) Provided Edwina Hart with the statement “”WE HAVE NOW

> IMPLEMENTED ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY DR VICTORIA WINCKLER IN

> HER REVIEW OF THE TRAWSCYMRU NETWORK””. This statement was

> delivered to the press on 14/03/2016 but was not correct as the

> Trawscymru Network Manager had not actioned the one recommendation in

> the review regarding the TrawsCymru network which was to examine the

> feasibility of the T3 operating from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.

> Lie (7) Provided Ken Skates with the statement ””THE CURRENT

> NETWORK OF SEVEN TRAWSCYMRU ROUTES IS BASED ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF

> THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW CARRIED OUT BY DR WINKLER OF THE BEVAN

> FOUNDATION. ””. This statement was delivered in a written

> statement on 15/08/2017 but was not correct as the Trawscymru Network

> Manager had not actioned the one recommendation in the review

> regarding the TrawsCymru network which was to examine the feasibility

> of the T3 operating from Wrexham to Aberystwyth.

> ADDENDUM 2 _THE REPLY TO MY FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST OF 7

> SEPTEMBER 2017 TITLED “”KEN SKATES INCORRECT STATEMENTS TO THE

> ASSEMBLY ON THE TRAWSCYMRU BUS NETWORK (WAQ74049)””. THE REPLY WAS

> RECEIVED ON 27 OCTOBER AFTER 36 WORKING DAYS _

> Question 1 Could you please name the person and job title of the Welsh

> Government representative who undertook the feasibility study

> recommended by Dr Winckler on operating the T3 Trawscymru service from

> Wrexham to Aberystwyth instead of from Wrexham to Barmouth..?