A train passenger has accused Transport for Wales of providing an "atrocious" service on the busy Marches Line, claiming persistent delays, cancellations, and overcrowding are making journeys increasingly difficult.
Andrew Bradley, who regularly travels on the line which connects Hereford, Leominster and Ludlow with destinations including Shrewsbury, Manchester, Cardiff, and Swansea, said he has repeatedly raised concerns directly with Transport for Wales (TfW) and through his MP.
But Mr Bradley believes the responses he has received have failed to address the underlying problems.
"The service provided by Transport for Wales is far from adequate," he said.
"Numerous trains are either delayed or cancelled, usually with little or no notice at all."
Mr Bradley described the Marches Line as "the worst for punctuality and reliability" on the TfW network, despite being one of the most expensive routes.
He also questioned fare differences between comparable journeys in England and Wales, saying he had found examples of trips covering a similar distance but with a price difference of more than £5.
"I outright accused them of discriminating against people in England based on the fare difference and the reliability of the service," he said.
Mr Bradley, who had used the trains to commute to and from work, said overcrowding has worsened his anxiety.
"When I'm travelling on the trains when it's packed, my anxiety goes through the roof because I feel claustrophobic," he said.
"TfW don't care as I've mentioned this to them numerous times before."
He also criticised the operator's rolling stock, claiming passengers are often left on overcrowded two-car trains at peak times while longer formations appear on quieter services.
Responding to the concerns, TfW acknowledged that disruption had frustrated passengers and said recent high temperatures had created challenges across the network.
"We know any disruption is frustrating for our customers and we'd like to thank people for their patience and understanding," a spokesperson said.
The operator said heat-related issues had affected services in recent weeks and that it was working to minimise the impact while maintaining safe operations.
Addressing concerns about overcrowding and short-formed trains, TfW said more trains than usual had been unavailable during periods of hot weather but that it was working with suppliers to return them to service as quickly as possible.
The company added that it is investing more than £800 million in new trains across the Wales and Borders network, which it says will increase capacity as more vehicles enter service.
On fare variations across the network, TfW said differences largely stem from historic pricing structures inherited from previous operators and franchises, and it was trying to tackle long-standing inconsistencies.
TfW also pointed passengers affected by delays to its Delay Repay compensation scheme, which can provide refunds when trains are delayed by more than 15 minutes.
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