Latest news with #PeredurOwenGriffiths
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- Business
- North Wales Live
Wales tipped to get £445m for rail projects in Spending Review this week
UK Government is set to announce £445m for rail projects in Wales. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to make the announcement at the Spending Review on Wednesday. This comes after a week in which the UK Labour Government has been under attack from Plaid Cymru and other opponents over its decision to classify a new rail line between Oxford and Cambridge as a England and Wales project. This means that any money spent on it will trigger extra payments to Scotland and Northern Ireland so they can spend it on their transport systems, but not Wales. But North Wales Live understands that there will be a boost for rail in Wales at the review - aimed at driving growth. At least £445 million is set to be spent on rail projects in north and south Wales to enhance connectivity between cities, towns, and centres of advanced manufacturing. The money will be spent on fixing level crossings, building new stations, and upgrading existing lines, and is understood to be a combination of direct funding and money for the Welsh Government. Last month the Welsh Government announced a 15 point plan to improve rail services in North Wales but there were questions over how it would be funded. A Treasury source said: 'With this Government Wales will thrive, and the Chancellor has prioritised bringing forward a package that has the potential to be truly transformative.' A source said the strategic rail investment forms the cornerstone of a UK Government plan to address decades of underinvestment in critical infrastructure that has held back the Welsh economy. But a Plaid Cymru spokesperson on Transport attacked the UK Government for its decision to reclassify the £6.6bn East West Rail as an England and Wales project. Peredur Owen Griffiths MS said: 'The UK Labour Government's decision to reclassify the Oxford to Cambridge rail link as an England and Wales project is one of the most egregious examples of the Westminster government working against the best interests of the people of Wales. 'Despite the project being previously classified as an England project in the 2020, 2021, 2023 and 2024 editions of the UK Government's Statement of Funding Policies, meaning Wales received a consequential – Labour have moved the goal posts and is now choosing to deny Wales much needed investment. 'For all we know, this decision could result in Welsh rail projects losing out or not happen at all because of Wales being denied its share of funding."
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Young teens could pay more for Welsh buses than 16-21 year-olds
Plans to discount bus travel for young people in Wales have been botched, according to Plaid part of its budget deal with the Liberal Democrats, the Welsh government announced a trial scheme to cap single bus fares at £1 for 16-21 year current fare rates, in some areas 11-15 year olds will pay more than the new Secretary Ken Skates said negotiations are underway with the bus industry to ensure young people do not have to pay more than the cap. He said that "ideally" bus companies would contribute to ensure tickets for younger bus users, but that this had not been confirmed. Peredur Owen Griffiths, Plaid Cymru transport spokesperson, said the party agreed with the principle of the scheme but that it showed "all the signs of a botched job, designed in haste to pass this Labour Welsh government's unambitious budget"."Under the new system, learners travelling to schools will be at a disadvantage to 16-21 years olds," he said. Currently, fares in Cardiff for people aged 5-15 are £1.70 for a single journey anywhere in the city and £1.40 for the shortest journey within a local zone, such as Newport, a child aged between 5-15 pays £1.70 for any single journey in the city. In Swansea on First Bus, they pay between £1.10 and £2 depending on the pilot, from September 16-21 year olds will pay £1 for all single fares, and £3 for unlimited all-day says it wants learner travel laws updated so that 11-15 year-olds travelling to school are not disadvantaged. In the Senedd on Wednesday, Skates told the Senedd: "We are still in negotiations with the industry to ensure that young people that do not benefit from our £1 flat fair don't have to pay more."Later, in response to questions from Owen Griffiths, he added: "Ideally, bus operators will at least contribute to reducing the cost of fares for under-16s."But this is yet to be confirmed and that's why negotiations are ongoing."We intend to bring those negotiations to a satisfactory conclusion as soon as possible and certainly in time for the scheme's introduction."
South Wales Argus
26-04-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Criticism of Santander's decision to close Blackwood branch
Last month, Peredur Owen Griffiths wrote to Santander after they announced they would be closing their Blackwood branch and reducing opening hours at their Caerphilly branch. Santander has announced its Blackwood branch will be closing in June this year, while Caerphilly's will be reducing its hours. Blackwood has been named in a list of 95 branch closures by the bank, which first entered the UK market in 2004 with its takeover of former building society Abbey National. The high street branch in Blackwood will close its doors for good on June 23, while the Caerphilly branch will have its hours reduced, opening only on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9.30am to 3pm, from June 30. Around 750 of its staff across the UK will be at risk of redundancy. A spokesperson for Santander UK said the closures were down to changing customer behaviour. In this letter, the Member of the Senedd for South Wales East wrote: "Before becoming a Senedd Member, I spent many years working in the retail banking sector for companies like Abbey, The Principality and Santander. "I actually worked briefly at the Blackwood branch and could see firsthand how valued that branch is to the town and beyond. "Loyal Santander customers relied on it for their banking and the personal touch they got inside the branch. "The branch was also invaluable to the thriving businesses of the town centre who will be forced to travel much further afield when banking their takings. "In making this decision, have you considered the impact upon the digitally disenfranchised? "I have been the Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Older People and know how much of a problem branch closures are. "Older people often lack the knowledge or even the confidence for E-Banking. "This is true for many disabled people as well. "At a time when Santander is boasting of huge profits exceeding targets and returning 10 Billion Euros to shareholders, this is not a good look. "I urge you to reconsider your decision with regard to the Blackwood branch as well as your decision to reduce the opening hours of the Caerffili branch." In response, a spokesman for Santander wrote: "I want to reassure you that Santander is committed to ensuring customers can safely bank with us through a range of channels, including in-person at branches and ATMs, or through our online and telephone banking services. "We will be contacting all impacted customers regularly over the coming months with support, with additional support for vulnerable customers including proactive follow-up phone calls from branch colleagues. "As you note, customers can also use over 11,000 Post Office branches for their banking needs." Following the response, Peredur said he was "deeply disappointed." He added: "Banks like Santander make huge annual profits and their loyal customers are a big reason for this. "This is a poor way of repaying people in Blackwood and the surrounding area for their custom over the years. "I am deeply disappointed that large corporations such as Santander are quick to forget the customers – not to mention the staff in branches like Blackwood - who make their business the success it is. "I would not be surprised if Santander customers now vote with their feet and take their business elsewhere."
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wales has 'entitlement' to HS2 cash - ex-minister
The Welsh government's former top legal advisor has called Labour UK ministers' decision not to allocate consequential funding to Wales for HS2 high speed rail "unacceptable". Mick Antoniw told the Senedd that Wales had a "constitutional entitlement" to the money, during a Plaid Cymru debate on rail infrastructure on Wednesday evening. The Senedd ultimately voted against a Plaid motion calling on the Labour Welsh government to write to its UK counterparts asking for billions of pounds in funding consequentials for HS2. In a previous vote in May 2024 there was cross-party support for Wales to receive its "fair share" of funding. Why does Wales not receive money from HS2? Welsh railways underfunded, UK government admits Speaking after the debate Plaid Cymru transport spokesperson Peredur Owen Griffiths said: "The Labour Welsh government are now firmly in the pockets of their UK colleagues. "The people of Wales see through the pretence of Labour's so-called 'partnership in power', seeing that it's nothing but empty words. "They will fight to spare Keir Starmer's blushes before they fight for Wales every single time." During Wednesday's debate Antoniw, Senedd member for Pontypridd, said: "I do not accept the UK government's response to HS2 funding. "I could accept an argument that says that we can not fund all the legacy of all the disastrous economic consequences of the last 14 years of Tory government. "But I believe that we have a constitutional entitlement to the Barnett funding consequential, and the response from the UK government has been unacceptable, it's been inaccurate, it's been flawed, and I don't believe it is credible."
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wales has 'entitlement' to HS2 cash, says ex-Labour minister
The Welsh government's former top legal advisor has called Labour UK ministers' decision not to allocate consequential funding to Wales for HS2 high speed rail "unacceptable".Mick Antoniw told the Senedd that Wales had a "constitutional entitlement" to the money, during a Plaid Cymru debate on rail infrastructure on Wednesday Senedd ultimately voted against a Plaid motion calling on the Labour Welsh government to write to its UK counterparts asking for billions of pounds in funding consequentials for a previous vote in May 2024 there was cross-party support for Wales to receive its "fair share" of funding. Speaking after the debate Plaid Cymru transport spokesperson Peredur Owen Griffiths said: "The Labour Welsh government are now firmly in the pockets of their UK colleagues."The people of Wales see through the pretence of Labour's so-called 'partnership in power', seeing that it's nothing but empty words."They will fight to spare Keir Starmer's blushes before they fight for Wales every single time."During Wednesday's debate Antoniw, Senedd member for Pontypridd, said: "I do not accept the UK government's response to HS2 funding."I could accept an argument that says that we can not fund all the legacy of all the disastrous economic consequences of the last 14 years of Tory government."But I believe that we have a constitutional entitlement to the Barnett funding consequential, and the response from the UK government has been unacceptable, it's been inaccurate, it's been flawed, and I don't believe it is credible."
