Much threatens to derail train project

IS there a danger that the Metro project could become another flagship scheme in Wales that sadly unravels?

The whole cost of electrifying the Valley Lines should have been funded by the UK Government, but after an almighty row between the Welsh and UK governments, a deal was struck.

The Westminster government is now only contributing around £125m towards the £734m project, as part of the £1.2bn City Deal for the Cardiff Capital Region.

At the time the then government of David Cameron promised to deliver electrification of the Great Western Mainline from Paddington as far west as Swansea. But we are where we are.

However, until there is an agreement on rail asset transfer – including liabilities like who would pick up the cost of a landslip or a bridge collapse – then the Welsh Government cannot procure a company to build the next phase of the Metro.

The franchise, supposed to go live next October, has already been put back six weeks. And the tender for the design and building of the Metro has also been pushed back.

So, the fact that a deal has yet to be reached on the franchise and rail asset, and the indications here that there is still some way to go, are of real concern.

But the Welsh Government seemingly has a trump card here. The asset and the franchise are still controlled by the UK Government.

If they cannot get a fair deal – which includes funding, too – with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, they can simply say ‘we cannot take this on, so it’s back to you.’

That would put the Tories, and in particular Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns, in a tricky spot.

Having already cancelled electrification of the Great Western Mainline from Cardiff to Swansea, it is not going to look good if they are also seen to have pulled the plug on electrifying the Valley Lines and a devolving of the next rail franchise.

Even if a deal is done, the Welsh Government cannot say categorically that the Valley Lines will be electrified. That is because the four bidders seeking to deliver the rail project alongside running the next Wales & Borders franchise have been asked to come up with their own rolling stock solutions.

As the Welsh Government is mode agnostic, what happens if all the bidders, MTR, KeolisAmey, Arriva and Abellio, don’t put forward light or heavy rail electrified options?

Carwyn Jones’ government might argue, as the UK Government has done by saying bi-mode trains between Cardiff and Swansea will not be any slower than electric trains, that at least four services an hour from the periphery of the network into Cardiff, from locations such as Treherhert and Merthyr, can still be achieved.

But even if true, it wouldn’t say much for the Welsh Government’s environmental credentials, with diesel trams or trains being used on the Valley Lines.

Even if it could save hundreds of millions of pounds by not having to put up electric wires, would they be as reliable and as operationally efficient as proven electric light or heavy rail rolling stock? The Western Mail newspaper is published by Media Wales a subsidiary company of Trinity Mirror PLC, which is a member of IPSO, the Independent Press Standards Organisation. The entire contents of The Western Mail are the copyright of Media Wales Ltd. It is an offence to copy any of its contents in any way without the company’s permission. If you require a licence to copy parts of it in any way or form, write to the Head of Finance at Six Park Street. The recycled paper content of UK newspapers in 2016 was 62.8%