Rail tragedy highlights Air Ambulance need

A local town mayor has said Monday night's tragic rail accident at Talerddig highlights the need for the Wales Air Ambulance being based in north Powys.

Welshpool’s Mayor paid tribute last night to the emergency services who responded to the tragic Montgomeryshire rail collision that resulted in one man being killed and four being seriously injured.

But speaking at last night’s full Town Council meeting, Cllr Phil Owen also took the opportunity to raise the importance of retaining the Wales Air Ambulance base in Welshpool.

The base is due to close under the charity’s plans, but a legal challenge has been mounted to reverse the decision.

And Monday’s accident between Llanbrynmair and Talerddig, which has halted all train services through Welshpool this week, illustrates just how important it is to Montgomeryshire, according to the Mayor.

“We have expressed our sympathies to the family of the person who has sadly died and also our good wishes for a full and speedy recovery to those that are injured,” said Cllr Owen.

“We have also expressed thanks to the emergency services who attended. There were a lot of them. And specifically, I should not that Air Ambulance. I know Talerddig is in a fairly remote and rural spot as are many parts of our county.

“Some of the responders, I learned, took up to two hours to arrive at the scene but the Air Ambulance and the two helicopters from the Coastguard arrived there quickly.

“Given the distances to the nearest hospital – some casualties went to Aberystwyth and some to Shrewsbury - it serves, in my view, to illustrate just how vital a facility the Air Ambulance is.

“I don’t know which base it was deployed from, I am assuming it was Welshpool. I hope that those who take decisions over the Air Ambulance will take due notice of that.”

Two of those injured in Monday’s incident include one of the train drivers and a conductor. The line remains closed until Saturday, at least, to allow crash investigators to continue their work, and for the trains to be removed. A bus service remains in place.