Public ownership is commercial failure

PLEASE can I reiterate my previous concerns in your letter pages following the letter published from Bob Skinner regarding Cardiff Airport (Western Mail, March 7).

I accept the essential need for a Welsh national airport. However, it’s like buying a home – it’s location, location.

I’ve spoken at my party’s annual conference and national council on this issue many times. The need to effectively avoid customer resistance is essential.

We should have relocated our national airport to the former steelwork site at Newport – good connectivity, massive hinterland, which is vital for air transport. From a Newport prospective, it’s an economic plus.

I’ve previously highlighted that Labour and Conservative governments, based and run from London, don’t understand our national transport interests.

We now have a failing airport, while Transport for Wales, which is publicly funded, cannot even understand the need for toilets on Valley trains.

There is now a proposed Labour initiative to allow councils to start new bus services. Young and old Labour politicians should consider historical losses and failures of publicly owed bus companies, eg Merthyr Transport, Taff Ely Transport, Inter Valley Link Transport, Caerphilly, Islwyn Transport and Bedwas & Machen transport, plus Cynon Valley Transport.

My message – you cannot allow council officers and councillors to run commercial enterprises when the majority of those employed in this sector, from my personal experience, I believe, are motivated by their terms and conditions, eg full sick pay, premium publicly upgraded pensions etc.

I’m certain Mr Skinner, a former public sector officer, will understand.

We need a change of priorities. Let’s ensure our health and education goes back to 100% from cradle to grave. Also we need to devolve airport tax issues to Wales to give us a window of opportunity. Clayton Jones Plaid Cymru Community Councillor Ynysybwl