A NORTH WALES MS has branded the state of train services in the region as 'a complete mess'.

Sam Rowlands MS has slammed what he says is currently a 'poor rail service' between north Wales and London.

Recently, Wrexham Council and the Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway Company Ltd met to propose an Open Access Service that can get you from Wrexham to the heart of London in three hours.

Last month, Mr Rowlands stated that it was essential to both tourists and locals that a direct line between the two locations becomes a reality.

But, the politician says that - as things stand - the services are a 'complete mess'.

Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Rowlands said: “The current service from North Wales down to London is a complete mess. Only a couple of years ago, there were 14 trains a day moving between London and North Wales; that's now down to five. And on top of that, of the five that exist, one in five of those are cancelled."

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He added: “It's the worst-performing route in the UK by a long stretch, and it's having a massive impact, on local businesses and people's livelihoods as well.”

Mr Rowlands asked the Transport Minister, Ken Skates what action he was able to take to support improvements on that particular line.

The Minister agreed that the performance of Avanti West Coast was unacceptable and needed to improve.

Mr Rowlands, also spoke about the proposals for trains from Wrexham to London, with five a day at least proposed for that route.

He added: “It is an absolute necessity for the largest conurbation in North Wales to have that direct link down to London.

“As the city continues to attract visitors from far and wide it really is essential that this sort of public transport is available.

“With the new Labour Government failing to commit to the last Conservative Government’s planned investment in the North Wales mainline it is absolutely vital that everything possible is done to improve rail services for the people in my region.

“Not only will it be great for residents but it will also be another way of encouraging visitors to visit Wrexham and the rest of North Wales.”

Avanti West Coast has been approached for comment.