Vital that we support small businesses

SMALL Business Saturday took place last week, and so I’d like to begin by urging everyone in RCT to support small businesses here.

They play a vital role in the local economy, both in terms of the people they employ, as well as the services they provide.

It is absolutely vital we give them all the support we can because it is very much a case of use it or lose it.

With Christmas approaching, I’d encourage everyone to shop locally across RCT.

■ It was refreshing to recently hear Arriva Trains Wales were recently considering using old rolling stock from Gatwick Express services to increase capacity in Wales.

While this would not be suitable for the Valley Lines, it could be used on longer distance services, which would free up trains to run here.

It is quite clear that services from Cardiff to Pontypridd, Treherbert and Merthyr are not good enough, with passengers crammed in and having to stand.

It is obvious something must be done, and I hope the franchise renewal will provide an opportunity to improve services on the network.

■ This is my last column of the year, so I would like to take the opportunity to wish all readers a very merry Christmas.

We should not forget that it is a time for giving – and I recently visited the Llantrisant depot of Operation Christmas Child – which will send 30,000 Christmas shoeboxes to children in war-torn regions.

As I handed my box over, it was pleasing to see the generosity others had shown, and it reminded me of the true meaning of Christmas.

2016 has certainly been an eventful year, so I’ll end by wishing you well for what’s left of it, and I look forward to wishing you a happy 2017 in January’s column!