Translate the text from Welsh to English.



 
Yn dilyn y tywydd gwael iawn a gafwyd ledled Cymru ers dydd Iau diwethaf, rwyf am ddiolch i staff ar draws y sector trafnidiaeth cyfan, sydd wedi gweithio'n ddi\-flino drwy'r penwythnos i helpu'r cyhoedd oedd yn teithio ac i ail\-agor ein rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth gyhoeddus a'n ffyrdd.  Mae diwydrwydd a gallu y bobl hynny sy'n gweithio i'n gwasanaethau hanfodol bob amser yn creu argraff arnaf, ac mae'r ychydig ddyddiau diwethaf wedi dangos proffesiynoldeb ac ymrwymiad y bobl hyn sy'n gweithio ym maes trafnidiaeth yng Nghymru.   
  
Roedd nifer o leoliadau ble y bu'n amhosibl teithio ar y rhwydwaith, yn anffodus, ac roedd yn rhaid i'r ffyrdd gau.  Dyma'r peth olaf y mae rhywun am ei wneud, ac nid oedd unrhyw benderfyniad i gau ffyrdd yn cael ei wneud yn ysgafn.  Er i'n hymdrechion i ail\-agor ffyrdd ac i achub pobl gael eu rhwystro i raddau mewn rhai lleoliadau oherwydd y cerbydau oedd wedi eu gadael ar ffyrdd, roedd pob un o'n rhwydweithiau ffyrdd wedi'u hail\-agor erbyn dydd Sul.  Mae gwasanaethau bysiau ledled Cymru bellach yn ôl fel arfer, gyda rhai eithriadau lleol.  Mae ein timau hefyd wedi rhoi cymorth i awdurdodau lleol.  
  
Er mwyn rhoi'r darlun llawn i raddfa ein hymateb, er y bu pobl yn gaeth yn eu cerbydau am hyd at 18 awr mewn rhannau eraill o Brydain, ni chafodd neb eu dal yn gaeth yn eu cerbydau ar ein rhwydwaith ni am gyfnodau sy'n cymharu â'r sefyllfa. Er bod nifer o ddigwyddiadau bychain ar ein rhwydwaith ffyrdd, diolch byth ni fu inni weld unrhyw ddamweiniau angheuol neu ddifrifol o ganlyniad i'r tywydd eithafol.  
  
Yr wythnos ddiwethaf dywedais wrth yr aelodau am yr heriau niferus oedd yn cael eu hwynebu gan y rheilffyrdd yng Nghymru. Roedd dau fater dan sylw:  Yn gyntaf, y tywydd heriol iawn, gyda'r cyfuniad o eira trwm a chyfnodau maith o dymheredd isel, oedd yn arwain at darfu sylweddol ar y gwasanaethau o ddydd Iau ymalen.  Yn ail, roedd y broblem o'r difrod i olwynion y trenau oedd yn cael eu defnyddio i ddarparu gwasanaethau dros bellter maith yng Nghymru. Mae'r tywydd gwael wedi cael effaith fawr hefyd ar y ffyrdd, gan gynnwys gwasanaethau bysiau ledled Cymru.  
  
Ers imi ddod yn ymwybodol o broblem yr olwynion ar yr 28ain o Chwefror, rwyf wedi derbyn y newyddion diweddaraf yn rheolaidd gan Drenau Arriva Cymru a Network Rail Cymru. Roeddwn yn ddiolchgar iddynt ac i'w staff sydd wedi gweithio'n ddi\-flino mewn tywydd gwael eithriadol i sicrhau bod y gwasanaethau yn dychwelyd i'w hamserlen arferol cyn gynted â phoisbl, ac i roi'r newyddion diweddaraf i'r cyhoedd.  
  
Ar yr 28ain o Chwefror, bu i archwiliadau diogelwch cyn dechrau'r gwasanaeth ddatgelu difrod i'r olwynion ar nifer o'n trenau pellter maith sy'n rhedeg o Orllewin Cymru i Manceinion, o Gaerdydd i Gaergybi ac o Gaergybi i Birmingham.  Nid oedd y difrod i'w weld mewn unrhyw fan arall ar reilffyrdd Prydain.  
  
Er diogelwch, cafodd y cerbydau yr effeithiwyd arnynt eu tynnu o'r gwasanaeth ar unwaith, sefydlwyd Trefn Reoli Arian gan Drenau Arriva Cymru a Network Rail, cafodd y gwasanaethau arferol eu cwtogi, a defnyddiwyd trenau profi i weld achos y difrod i'r olwynion ar hyd y rheilffyrdd ble y digwyddodd y difrod o bosibl \- yn bennaf rhwng Caer, yr Amwythig a Chaerdydd.  Roedd y lleoliadau posibl hyn yn cynnwys pwyntiau newid traciau, croesfannau, cyfleusterau depo a seilwaith eraill. Roedd Llywodraeth Cymru yn derbyn y newyddion diweddaraf bob hanner awr. Rwyf wedi rhoi y newyddion diweddaraf ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol drwy gydol y cyfnod.  
  
Ar yr un pryd, roedd y rhagolygon o dywydd eithafol a'r rhybuddion tywydd yn golygu bod yn rhaid dod â rhan fwyaf o'r gwasanaethau yn Ne Cymru i ben, a'r rhai yn Nyffryn Conwy, Gorllewin Cymru ac mewn mannau eraill, i ddechrau, ar y 1af a'r 2il o Fawrth, gyda llai o wasanaethau pellter maith ar y prif reilffyrdd. Cafwyd gwybodaeth gynhwysfawr i'r cyhoedd gan y diwydiant rheilffyrdd ar y materion hyn wrth iddynt godi, ar eu gwefannau, y cyfryngau cymdeithasol a thrwy ddatganiadau rheolaidd yn y wasg. Y tu allan i Gymru, cafodd y tywydd effaith fawr ar y gwasanaethau rheilffordd.   
  
Wedi i'r tywydd wella, ac i'r gwaith mawr o glirio'r traciau a phrofi'r rheilffyrdd gael ei gwblhau, cafwyd gwelliant graddol yn y gwasanaethau ar y 3ydd a'r 4ydd o Fawrth, a daethpwyd o hyd i'r seilwaith oedd wedi achosi'r difrod i'r olwyn yng Nghyffordd Gorllewin Maendy, ger Casnewydd.   Diolch i ymdrechion staff Trenau Arriva Cymru a Network Rail, mae trenau pellter maith yn rhedeg fel arfer o'r 5ed o Fawrth, gydag ychydig o drenau yn rhedeg ar deithiau byrrach na'r arfer o ganlyniad i'r difrod i'r olwynion. Cafodd gwasanaethau lleol ar reilffyrdd Calon Cymru a Dyffryn Conwy ei effeithio ar y 5ed o Fawrth oherwydd ôl\-effaith y tywydd mawr, felly parhaodd bysiau i gael eu defnyddio ar hyd y llwybrau hynny, er ddylai rheilffordd Dyffryn Conwy dychwelyd i'w hamserlen arferol ar y 6ed o Fawrth.  
  
Rwyf wedi siarad unwaith eto â Threnau Arriva Cymru a Network Rail i ddeall y problemau sy'n weddill, ac i ddiolch iddynt am waith caled eu timau yn adfer y gwasanaethau yr effeithiwyd arnynt mor gyflym, ac am roi'r newyddion diweddaraf i'r cyhoedd. Mae'r teithwyr a gafodd broblemau wrth deithio yn cael ei annog i wneud ymholiadau i Drenau Arriva Cymru os ydynt eisiau wneud cais i hawlio iawndal. Mae 24 o'r 27 o drenau dosbarth 175 wedi gweld difrod i'w holwynion, yn ogystal ag olwynion cerbydau trên Gerallt Gymro ac o leiaf 7 o'r 24 o drenau dosbarth 158 sy'n cael eu defnyddio ar gyfer teithiau byrrach.  Er y gallai'r difrod gymryd sawl mis i'w drwsio, rwyf wedi derbyn sicrwydd nad oes unrhyw broblemau diogelwch o ran parhau i ddefnyddio'r trenau yn y cyfamser.  Mae'n bosibl y byddwn yn gweld rhai trenau byrrach am gyfnod, ond nid ydym yn rhagweld y bydd unrhyw wasanaethau yn cael eu canslo, os nad oes amgylchiadau eraill yn codi.  
  
Byddaf yn parhau i roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i'r aelodau am unrhyw ddatblygiadau pellach.  








Translation:


 
Following the difficult weather conditions experienced across Wales since Thursday last week, I want to put on record my sincere thanks to staff across the entire transport sector who have worked tirelessly over the weekend to support the travelling public and to re\-open our public transport and road network. I am always impressed by the diligence and resourcefulness of those on our front lines and these last few days have again demonstrated the professionalism and commitment of those working in Welsh transport.  

  

There were a number of locations where unfortunately our network became impassable and roads had to be shut. This is always a last resort, and any decisions to close roads were not taken lightly. Whilst reinstatement and rescue efforts were hampered in some locations by abandoned vehicles, all of our road network was re\-opened by Sunday. Bus services across Wales are now operating normally, with some localised exceptions. Our teams have also been providing support to aid local authorities.  

  

To put the scale of our response into perspective, whilst other parts of the UK saw occupants trapped in vehicles for up to 18 hours,  no one was trapped on our network for comparable durations. Although there were a number of minor incidents on our road network, we are not aware of any fatal or serious injury accidents as a result of the extreme weather.  

  

Last week I informed members of a number of challenges being faced by the railway in Wales. There were two issues. Firstly the very challenging weather conditions, combing heavy snow and a prolonged period of low temperatures, which caused significant disruption to services from Thursday onwards. Secondly, the issue of damage to the wheels of the trains used to provide long distance services in Wales. The poor weather has also had a major impact on road travel, including bus services across Wales.  

  

Since I first became aware of the wheel issue on 28 February I have been receiving frequent updates from Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail Wales Route. I am grateful to them and to all their dedicated staff who have worked tirelessly in extreme weather conditions to restore services to normal as soon as possible and to keep the public up to date.  

  

On 28 February, safety inspections prior to start of service revealed damage to the wheel sets on a number of our longer\-distance trains which run from West Wales to Manchester, Cardiff to Holyhead and Holyhead to Birmingham. The damage seen had not been experienced anywhere on Britain’s railway.  

  

As an immediate safety precaution affected vehicles were taken out of service, a joint Silver Command Control was established by ATW and Network Rail, normal services were truncated, and test trains were despatched to check all potential causes of wheel set damage along the routes where damage may have occurred \- principally between Chester, Shrewsbury and Cardiff. These potential locations included points, level crossings, depot facilities and other infrastructure. Welsh Government received half\-hourly updates. I have provided regular social media updates throughout.  

  

At the same time, extreme weather forecasts and weather warnings necessitated the withdrawal of most of our South Wales services and those on Conwy Valley, West Wales and elsewhere, initially, on 1 and 2 March, with reduced longer distance services on main lines.  The rail industry provided comprehensive public information on these issues as they arose, on their websites, social media and through frequent press updates. Outside Wales, rail services were also heavily impacted by weather.  

  

Following improvements to the weather, extensive track clearance and route proving, there was a gradual improvement of services on 3 and 4 March and the infrastructure believed to have caused the wheel damage was located at Maindee West Junction, near Newport.   Thanks to the efforts of the staff of both ATW and Network Rail, long distance train services are running as normal from 5 March, with just a few trains running in shorter formations than usual as a result of  the wheel damage issue. Local services on the Heart of Wales and Conwy Valley lines were affected on 5 March by the after effects of the weather, so bus replacement services remained in operation on those routes, although the Conwy Valley line is scheduled to return to normal on 6 March.  

  

I have today spoken again with Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail to understand the residual issues, and to pass my thanks on for the hard work of their teams in recovering so swiftly from both of these service affecting issues, and for keeping the public updated. Affected passengers are encouraged to make enquiries with ATW if they believe they should be compensated for disrupted travel. 24 of the 27 class 175 trains have sustained wheel damage, along with the wheels on the carriages of the Gerallt Gymro train and at least 7 of the 24 class 158 trains used for shorter services. Whilst the damage may take several months to completely resolve, I have been assured that there is no safety consequence to continuing to operate the trains in the interim. We may see some short formation trains for a while, but service cancellations are not anticipated, unless other circumstances dictate them.  

  

I will continue to keep members updated of further developments.