Swansea based AM, Dr Dai Lloyd, has described the decision by the Conservative – Lib Dem coalition to put on hold the plans to electrify the Great Western main line to Swansea – leaving Wales in the slow lane – as ‘disgraceful’ The South Wales West Assembly Member says refusing to commit to the £1bn project whilst pressing ahead with improvements across England’s rail network is shocking.
The Plaid AM has tabled an emergency question to the First Minister to raise his concerns. His concerns have been echoed by Jonathan Edwards MP, whose constituency of Carmarthen East and Dinefwr was dependant on the electrification as a boost for the local economy. Mr Edwards, who is Plaid’s Treasury spokesperson, says the delay is the UK governments attempts to avoid electrifying rail in Wales.
Dr Dai Lloyd AM said:
“This once again proves that for the Conservatives and the Lib Dems Wales is nothing more than an afterthought. I am appalled that the UK coalition government are pushing ahead with billions in investment for London transport links, one of Europe’s richest cities, but Wales, one of Europe’s poorest regions, is ignored. After already being denied millions of pounds worth of capital investment as part of the spending review Cheryl Gillan should be ashamed of herself that she has once again failed to get any concessions for Wales. The UK Government didn’t even have the decency to explain the decision to put this project on hold with the Welsh Government beforehand.
Plaid’s Transport Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones worked tirelessly in presenting the business case for electrifying the line to Swansea to the UK Government. He succeeded in overturning Labour’s decision to stop the modernisation plan at Bristol and secured a commitment to extend the programme across South Wales. Network Rail had completed a technical feasibility study on the project only for the Tories and Lib Dems to abandon this vital development for the Welsh economy. This disgraceful decision will mean that in future we will not be able to aspire to have a rail network which is fit for a modern 21st nation.
The ConDem coalition has inflicted massive cuts on the public sector, but their refusal to deliver on this and many other promises, has also served to completely undermine the private sector recovery. Whilst other areas of the UK will be getting investment in high speed rail Wales will miss out which will have dire consequences for business. Labour had the opportunity to press ahead with this plan some time ago but refused to do that and as such they left it to the mercy of the ConDems. Sadly we all know how low Wales is on the priority list for them. Clearly the Tories and Lib Dems have no interest in helping Welsh workers and Welsh employers get back on their feet economically.”
Plaid’s Jonathan Edwards MP said:
“This just adds insult to injury.”
“When Danny Alexander was in front of the Assembly’s Finance Committee on Monday he couldn’t name a single infrastructure project of any sort that his government had left intact for Wales except for some signalling work outside Cardiff.
“It seems that the UK Government has been intent on delaying because they’re trying all ways possible to avoid electrifying to Swansea – or even through Wales at all.
“The Secretary of State needs to understand that these delays and uncertainties are not only unfair to travellers in Wales but risk undermining Wales on an economic level.
“They’re more than happy to spend a billion pounds on one train station in central London, but won’t spend the same amount to improve services that stretch for nearly 200 miles.
“My worry is that the new Con-Dem government want to go back to that plan and leave out Wales entirely.”
