City nightlife loses out due to no late trains

The last train east from Swansea on a Friday night is currently at 22:32 GMT

Businesses in Swansea say they are losing thousands of pounds in revenue because of poor train services in and out of the city.

Nightlife venues in Wales' second largest city say visitors have no option but to "rush away" to catch the last train home.

Investment in late night travel options is essential to attracting more visitors and businesses to the area, a transport expert said.

Transport for Wales said it had a “long-term ambition” to add later services, dependent on securing the necessary rights.

Swansea’s pubs, clubs and theatres are calling for more late trains, to allow people to travel east to places like Bridgend and Cardiff after 22:30 GMT.

On a Friday night, the last train to Neath, Bridgend or Cardiff leaves the city at 22:32 GMT.

But, if traveling in the opposite direction - back to Swansea from Cardiff, for example - trains run until 01:00 GMT.

Stuart Ackland, who owns Hippos bar on the High Street in Swansea, said often people have to leave gigs at his venue before the last performer has finished their set, to catch their train.

"That's the only way they can go home if they've been drinking, unless they stay in a hotel but then that gets expensive,” he said.

"Every week we get people asking what time it is, and then we tell them the time, but they have to leave and not join us because of the train times."

Bar manager Scott Mackay says the solution venues are calling for is simple

Scott Mackay, manager of Elysium Gallery and Bar, also on the High Street near the station, said the train timetable has a detrimental impact on the city’s night-time economy.

"It means we are losing a lot of business and money because people have to rush away,” he said.

"If you are going to see a show in the arena for example, there are many options to go and get food or drink afterwards, but because of the train times, we lose a lot of those customers.

“There are many independent businesses on the High Street and we all feel the same.

"I'm asking Transport Wales to put more trains on, it's simple.”

Prof Stuart Cole says people are put off from using the train at all - which damages environment targets

Stuart Cole, emeritus professor of transport at the University of South Wales, said the lack of late trains goes against the Welsh government's aim of getting more people to use public transport.

"People go into Swansea, to the Grand Theatre or other places, and those shows finish at 22.30 or 23.00,” he said.

"So if the last train is at 22:30, people will come in by car and leave by car.

"They don't use the train at all, and that's what everyone is trying to get people to do. But if the service is not convenient for them, people will not use the trains or the buses."

Transport for Wales said it has “a long-term ambition” of adding later services from Swansea to Cardiff as part of its "commitment to improving services across the Wales network”.

"These changes are dependent on getting the necessary rights from Network Rail, to make sure that late trains do not affect the maintenance of the railway overnight,” it said.