Campaigners have been celebrating that Cardiff Queen Street railway station’s new sign will have the Welsh language in its rightful place - by throwing a party in front of the station (Thursday 1st October 2015).

During renovation work earlier in 2015, a monolingual English sign had been placed on the roof of Cardiff Queen Street station in the city centre. Since then, local members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg have staged a protest in addition to writing numerous letters to politicians and Network Rail, stating that the sign ignores the official status of the Welsh language in law. Over the last few days, the sign has been removed by workers. Recently the Welsh Language Commissioner corresponded with campaigners to say that the new sign will be in place by 1st October 2015. However it is not yet in place.

Carl Morris, the Chair of Cardiff’s local branch of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said:

“We are delighted that our campaign has been successful and that it seems the sign is going to be changed to include Welsh. However the question must be asked: why must we still protest for the most basic things in regard to the Welsh language?

“The new sign’s recognition of Welsh will be heartening but we are still concerned in relation to the new language Standards. It has been almost five years since the legislation was passed and hope for language rights in day-to-day life is fading. The Welsh Language Commissioner has taken a large number of significant bodies, including Network Rail, out of the language Standards. Without statutory obligation for these bodies to act in the Welsh language, how can she ensure language rights for everybody who lives in Wales?

“It’s been made clear over decades that there is no means of ensuring sufficient and permanent change from such bodies without statutory requirement. It’s high time that the Welsh Language Commissioner and the Welsh Government act.”