In his submission to the Welsh Assembly Economy and Transport inquiry into Autumn rail chaos on TFW (
http://record.assembly.wales/Committee/5151), the former managing director of ATW Wales gave the most professional, smooth, polished and flawless performance of the three organisations called to be questioned (Network Rail and TFW were the others). Plenty of "that was before my time", "I was not made aware of that" "That question should be addressed to [Network Rail, TFW]" etc. However he
tacitly implied while outlining his pride in ATW's record of investment/enhancement (implied credit to ATW by careful and clever use of phrases like "before ATW came along there was no ....") that several key enhancements to the W and B network were due to incentives
by his company.
1) Re-introduction of passenger services on the Vale of Glamorgan Line. In fact, the
initiative for this came from Bridgend and Vale of Glamorgan local councils (not ATW) who put the case to the then Welsh Assembly Government, who later approved it. Stations at Llantwit Major and Rhoose international airport were the responsibility of V of G council, who spent £2m, and track, signals and civil engineering works were carried out by Network Rail at a cost of £15m. ATW were then involved by providing some extra rolling stock/staff above what they were contracted for, but don't
tacitly claim credit for it as an ATW initiative e.g. (
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vale_of_Glamorgan_Line#Reopening_to_passengers)
2) Re-introduction of passenger services to Ebbw Vale - an initiative again by 3 local councils, Caerffili, Blaenau Gwent and Newport, put to Welsh Government and delivered as a
joint venture between the 3 councils, Network Rail, Welsh Government and ATW with some funds coming from the EU- so ATW have no right to
tacitly claim full credit for that e.g.(
https://web.archive.org/web/20100225090723/http://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/ebbwvalleyrailway/).
While ATW deserve credit for doing more than contractually required in many ways and for responding positively to such initiatives, it is misleading to
tacitly imply or claim full credit for major enhancements and re-openings where the initiative (and much of the finance) has come form other bodies.