One year on and Wales still in slow lane for big projects
A year on from the decision to scrap electrification between Cardiff and Swansea, Neath MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Christina Rees argues that Wales is still at the bottom of the list for major projects
YESTERDAY marked the year anniversary of the UK Tory Government’s decision to cancel electrification of the mainline between Cardiff and Swansea, a move that laid bare their contempt for Wales. This anniversary comes just a month after the latest betrayal of our communities as the Tories ditched the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project.
Both game changing projects designed to boost Welsh economic prospects with the investment needed to deliver better jobs for our communities.
Both ditched at the hands of a UK Tory Government that has no mandate, and no interest, in Wales.
Last week offered up further proof that Wales sits at the bottom of the pile for UK Tory Ministers as we discovered that there is no end date for electrification to Cardiff. Transport expert, Professor Stuart Cole made it clear that this shambles was down to a UK Government that has flip flopped explaining that Network Rail has ‘been at the behest of changing policy’.
From Wales to Westminster, Labour has been relentless in its campaign for electrification of the line through to Swansea.
The decision to pull the plug on full electrification was a political one and its reversal requires political leadership. Theresa May and her Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling should step in and secure funding to electrify this important part of our rail network.
Network Rail estimates that electrification and the running of electric vehicles can help to reduce CO2 emissions by an average of 20 to 30 per cent compared to their diesel counterparts and the maintenance costs for electric trains are 33% lower than for diesel. A National Audit Office (NAO) report looking into the Department for Transport’s decision to cancel three rail electrification projects highlighted the fact that the decision to cancel the electrification of the line was made in March but not announced until July.
The NAO also found that when Chris Grayling made the decision to cancel full electrification, the bimode trains that he claimed would replace existing rolling stock with the required speed and acceleration did not, in fact, exist.
A point that departmental officials pointed out to the Secretary of State and he ignored. As the House of Commons Transport committee said if Grayling wanted to deliver the benefits to passengers that he promised it would require electrification.
Passengers are constantly told that inflation-busting fare rises are necessary for improvements, with average peak fares up 32% since 2010, three times faster than wages. However, we’ve yet to see these improvements and when we do they tend to be concentrated around London and the South East.
In terms of regional inequalities, the UK is among the worst performing nations in Europe, with a national economy too skewed towards the South.
As the Welsh Labour Government’s economy and transport secretary, Ken Skates highlighted, Network Rail’s Wales Route, which makes up 11% of the network, has received little more than 1% of total spend on enhancements in England and Wales.
This has resulted in low lines speed on the South Wales main line, capacity and speed constraints along the North Wales Coast, infrequent commuter services for the Swansea Bay city region, and inadequate cross-border services in both North and South Wales.
The next UK Labour government will act to close that gap in funding. We’ll introduce legislation to make sure future governments will be charged with auditing their regional capital spend against economic need, and reporting to Parliament when the investment imbalances are excessive.
A UK Labour government will stand up for the many. We will put passengers before profits by bringing our railway back into public ownership to improve services and hold fares down.
“And we will undo the Tories’ mess on the mainline to Swansea, extending electrification throughout the line.