Failure to press ahead with the plan to electrify the main railway line between Swansea and London would set back economic development for decades to come according to a senior Plaid AM.
Dr Dai Lloyd AM who represents South Wales West in the National Assembly called on the new Conservative/Lib Dem coalition in Westminster not to ditch the plans which will cut travel time, boost business.
Dr Lloyd said that developing a modern transport infrastructure would be an important contributing factor towards rebuilding the economy.
Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales West, Dai Lloyd said:
“It’s difficult to overstate the importance of this scheme for the economy of Wales and my region in particular desperately needs this investment which would boost business, bringing jobs and prosperity to the area.
“As Wales’ Minister for Transport, Plaid Leader Ieuan Wyn Jones worked tirelessly to ensure that this scheme was extended to include the Welsh stretch of the line through to Swansea. Without his intervention, the previous government planned to stop at Bristol. Ieuan is now pressing the new government not to sacrifice this vital scheme.
“The financial context for the coming years is now clear and the Conservative/Lib Dem government have taken a huge risk with our economy with their plans to cut public spending so severely without before economy is strong enough to withstand that shock. But it cannot make any economic sense to further risk our recovery by slashing schemes which are designed to rebuild the economy in a more sustainable way. To do so would show a complete disregard for our economy and could set our economic development back decades.”
