‘Give us our share of rail millions’
A WELSH MP has called on the UK Government to compensate Wales for missing out on millions of pounds in rail funding associated with the HS2 project by fully funding the proposed South West Wales metro system.
HS2 is intended to create a high-speed rail link between London and cities in the north of England.
Although there is no intention to build any of the line in Wales, it has been designated as a Ukwide project.
Had it been designated as an England-only project, Wales would have been entitled to millions of pounds extra under the Barnett formula, which determines how much money the Welsh Government should receive from the UK Treasury based on how much is spent in England.
Now Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathan Edwards, who was elected to represent Plaid Cymru but currently sits as an Independent, says Westminster should compensate Wales for the loss of HS2 money by funding the South West Wales metro.
The Welsh Government and Transport for Wales are currently consulting on the proposed project, which presents options for improving rail services within the region.
These include increased frequency of long-distance strategic services, increased local services from West Wales to Carmarthen and Swansea, new stations and improvements to existing stations, and the development of a Swansea Bay and West Wales metro network.
Proposed improvements include reducing rail journey times between West Wales and London, with a goal of providing a journey time of one hour 30 minutes between Cardiff and Paddington, 30 minutes between Cardiff and Bristol Temple Meads and 30 minutes between Swansea and Cardiff.
Mr Edwards said the Welsh Government should engage with the UK Government over the proposed West Wales Parkway station on the Great Western mainline.
The MP said that the Parkway station in itself was not enough, and should instead be part of a wider investment aimed at revolutionising public transport in South West Wales via a metro system centred on Swansea and linking Llanelli, the western coalfield valleys and beyond.
Mr Edwards said: “Public transport infrastructure in Wales is appalling because Westminster governments of whatever colour don’t invest in Wales and instead prioritise investment in the south east of England.
“Critically, as rail investment is not devolved to the Welsh Government, Wales is treated as an England and Wales entity, meaning that major infrastructure projects such as HS2 in England don’t lead to direct Barnett [cash] consequentials.
“These matters are devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland, meaning Scotland gets 91.7% of the equivalent spend in England as a percentage of their population.
“Northern Ireland gets 95.4%, but Wales gets only 36.6%.
“We are being totally shafted, as I have consistently warned throughout my parliamentary career.
“Historically, Wales only gets around 2% of rail investment despite having 5% of the population and 11% of the rail network. This situation will get worse for decades as HS2 hoovers up all investment.
“The Silk Commission [which looked at the Welsh Government’s powers] realised the importance of this issue and advocated equalising Welsh powers with Scotland and Northern Ireland.
“As compensation for HS2 the UK Government should fully fund the South West Wales Metro project which would revolutionise transport infrastructure here.
“While I support the Parkway on the mainline, we need to be far more ambitious if we are serious about meeting our climate change objectives and regenerating our economy.”
Last year the UK Government’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said of HS2: “It is judged as a Uk-wide project, but I suppose the equivalent question would be will Wales get the benefit?
“And the answer is yes, as when the railway goes to Crewe, for example, people in North Wales will get a specific benefit with faster journey times up to Scotland eventually and down to Birmingham etc.”