This is an opportunity to discuss the future of community transport in rural areas with Elin Jones MS, Ben Lake MP, Dolen Teifi as well as representatives from the local authorities.

Corporate greed ‘morally indefensible’, says Plaid Cymru Treasury spokesperson

Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion and the party’s Treasury spokesperson, Ben Lake MP, has blasted the UK Government’s inaction on the crisis of “corporate greed”.

Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Mid & West Wales has led urgent calls in the Senedd for funding for the Fflecsi Bwcabus to be reinstated as the service is set to be terminated from the 31 October.

The Fflecsi Bwcabus (previously Bwcabus) has been operating for 14 years, serving rural parts of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, and Pembrokeshire. It provides an essential service for many residents without access to cars or the main public transport network to reach other villages and towns for work, shopping, and medical treatment.

On Friday last week, the Welsh Government announced that the Fflecsi Bwcabus service will stop operating at the end of October this year, due to a lack of funds. 

Ben Lake launched his election campaign at Crymych Rugby Club last Thursday and met with a packed room of supporters to outline his priorities as Plaid Cymru’s candidate for the new Ceredigion Preseli seat. 

Ben Lake has represented Ceredigion in Westminster since 2017, increasing his majority in the 2019 election to 6,329 votes.  

UK Government's poor planning derails Pembrokeshire floating wind project

Plaid Cymru’s environment spokesperson in Westminster, Ben Lake MP, has today (Friday 8 September) warned that the Conservative UK Government is “setting back our climate efforts” after having failed to secure “an invaluable opportunity that could boost the economy of southwest Wales”.

Ben Lake has called for community energy schemes to be allowed to sell power directly to local customers.

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar generate electricity across Wales. Organisations and local volunteers often run community energy schemes, but it is currently impossible for the electricity to be bought directly even when produced locally. Instead, it must be acquired through utility companies connected to the National Grid. Ben Lake MP calls for more rights for such schemes to supply local consumers with electricity that they can buy directly from their local area.

The MP for Ceredigion has put forward a parliamentary motion calling on the UK Government to urgently review Mileage Allowance Payments and to abolish the cap which sees drivers receive a reduced rate if they drive over 10,000 miles in the tax year. 

Approved mileage rates are set by HMRC, but there is currently no specific calculation involved in setting out these rates. The UK Government has said the rates are a policy decision taken after considering issues including the cost of motoring, the cost to the public purse of changing the rate, and the overall fiscal position. 

Approved mileage rates have not been updated since 2011 and Plaid Cymru argues that these rates should be urgently reviewed, given the significant rise in motoring costs, fuel costs and vehicle maintenance costs in recent years. 

Ceredigion MP questions Transport for Wales boss on rail services in mid-Wales

Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion, Ben Lake, has described the Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury service as “no better than a cattle truck” during a questioning session with the Transport for Wales (TfW) chief executive, James Price.

During a session of the Welsh Affairs Committee in Westminster, Ben Lake asked James Price if he was confident a plan for hourly services between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury by March 2024 could be achieved.

Elin Jones MS was pleased to attend an event discussing the future of Ceredigion GP surgeries with the British Medical Association (BMA) recently at the Senedd.