1. Heart of Wales line has been deprived of upgrades and investment as per all the Cambrian Network.
2. It could do more if upgraded with double track and through originating journeys starting like Swansea to Shrewsbury and maybe onwards to Manchester Airport?
3. There is a feeling that The Welsh Assembly is Cardiff centric. Understandable from an electoral point of view, but other places suffer like Swansea by capacity into Cardiff and outwards – better rail links and options are needed. Upgrading Heart of Wales line to a modern operational standard, means faster speeds/consistency and a diversity of all stopping trains and faster semi-fast principal end-to-end operations and routing freight too/looking at local sourced freight potential and not container views only, but smaller loads like post, parcels and pallets for example and designing rolling stock to do it all/be more versatile/bikes, prams, buggies and more!
4. Do stations need upgrade – parking, coffee shops, post offices, utilising space and buildings, toilets, hotels for visitorship? It needs looking at study, scope and on-the-ground. 

We seek a study of a mid-Wales rail link like Carmarthen – Aberystwyth (new build with modifications) to enable West Wales to be doing more business and also a link between Cambrian and Builth Wells with curves to link the lines for diverse audiences and better access. Cost? Yes, so build the coalitions and treat it like Cardiff Metro and realise unless a positive way forward can be hatched, models and grades of ideas can be adapted, closure could be a cost-laden result. However, going forward with rail means less traffic on roads, less road upgrades (intrusion/land take), better preservation of rural tranquillity and a more versatile balance?

How much of West Wales can sustain an all-year-round rail-based access hotel accommodation? Self catering, camping or top notch fine, but family hotel access seems lacking – has Barmouth got a hotel still? Is there a new-flow opportunity here? Access and timings are critical, but rail offers more than roads, but price and accessibility have to be balanced.