Plaid Cymru AM for Ynys Mon, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has defended the north-south air link from Anglesey to Cardiff in the face of attacks by the Conservatives.
Mr ap Iorwerth, who is Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Transport Minister, pointed out that the subsidy for the service is affordable in the context of the Welsh Government’s overall budget, and said that discussions should be focussed on expanding routes from the airport at Valley, rather than cutting them.
Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Transport Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth commented:
“The air service between north and south Wales is affordable and Plaid Cymru supports its continuation. It has to be understood that we are dealing with an historic connectivity problem between north and south Wales.
“We have a duty to bring the country together. The air service is just one of the ways to do that. We also need to prioritise better rail and road links. All transport is subsidised in one way or another.
“Appraisals have been carried out which show that the air link has had a positive impact on the economy of north west Wales and Anglesey in particular.
“The Conservatives have always opposed the north-south air service. Their attitude would only serve to isolate this part of Wales. We have to be honest with the taxpayer and explain that the level of subsidy for the air link – between £1m and £1.5m per year – is affordable within the annual Welsh budget of £15bn and is an investment that keeps Anglesey and north-west Wales open for business.
“The way to bring the cost of the service down is to drive up passenger numbers through better marketing and a more ambitious approach to expanding Anglesey Airport to service more destinations.
“Passenger numbers have fallen, but in the face of that I would like to see a focus on more marketing that is targeted at the Welsh and UK domestic tourist market and promoting the attractions that we have on Ynys Mon.
“We should not be talking about cutting the link at all but should be talking about creating more links from Valley to Ireland, Scotland and other destinations in the region. We should be more ambitious about its potential.”
