Cardiff Council is disappointed by today’s announcement that a decision regarding electrification of the Great Western Mainline has been delayed until the New Year.
The announcement was made today by Secretary of State Philip Hammond who said that additional work was required within the Department for Transport,and with the Welsh Assembly Government on the business case for electrification into Wales.
A decision will now not be made until the New Year.
Cardiff Council Leader, Rodney Berman, said that he would continue to press the case to the Government.
“I am obviously disappointed that no decision has yet been taken on electrification of the Great Western Main Line. This clearly reflects the complexities involved given that the work to electrify the line cannot be considered in isolation from any decisions regarding securing appropriate rolling stock.”
Councillor Berman, along with the leaders of Bristol and Swindon councils, has been lobbying strongly for electrification and the economic benefits it will bring to the Great Western Corridor.
He said: “This delay is frustrating but I will continue to press the case for the Great Western Main Line to be electrified, a decision which I still maintain is important for the economy in South Wales and South West England.
“It is also important to remember no final decision has been made and the last Government hadn’t actually allocated the funding for electrification even though they had announced it. I will now, with our partners in The Great Western Partnership (GWP), keep lobbying and pushing the message that good transport connectivity is essential for cities and regions to build and maintain their economic competitiveness.”
He added: “I remain concerned that failure to ultimately implement GWML electrification would seriously harm the economy across South Wales and South West England.”
