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BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Five new Welsh stations could get Westminster money
Wales's railway minister says he is waiting to see if funding to build five stations around Cardiff and Newport will be confirmed in Westminster next secretary Ken Skates said the Welsh government had tried to persuade the UK government to pay for the told Senedd members to wait for Chancellor Rachel Reeves's spending review on June the first minister has said it is likely that the announcement of billions in transport funding in England will trigger extra money for Wales, but said she did not know how much it may be. The comments follow complaints from all parties that Wales has missed out on funding for major rail was criticised by opponents on Tuesday in a row about the East West rail line between Oxford and with HS2, the way the line is classified under the rules of devolution means Wales will not receive any extra is not fully devolved, so decisions about funding new infrastructure are taken in Westminster. Proposals for new stations in south-east Wales emerged after the planned M4 relief road was Burns Commission into improving transport in the region said trains should stop at Cardiff East, Newport West, Somerton, Llanwern, and a station for the communities of Magor and said there was a "solid business case" for the stations, adding: "We now want to work with UK government to move to construction.""There is strong support both here and at Westminster for the five new stations," he said."I don't believe we could have done any more to influence UK Treasury so we now await the comprehensive spending review next week."The Welsh government is also thought to be pushing for investment in north Wales including improvements at Padeswood and just over the border in Chester – vital for improving services on this side of the border. On Wednesday billions of investment in trains, trams and bus schemes in England were announced by Chancellor Rachel told the Senedd on Tuesday that it was "the equivalent, for England, of our local transport grants".Speaking to BBC Wales on Wednesday, Eluned Morgan said that the announcement will likely trigger extra spending through the formula that funds Welsh public services."There is likely to be consequential money as a result of the announcement today," she how much it might amount to, she added: "I don't know the detail of that."Morgan made the comment at a photo-opportunity with Angela Rayner at a Welsh cake shop in Cardiff, held to promote April's rise in the minimum wage. Rayner did not give interviews to the press gathered there, turning down a request from BBC Wales as she was in Cardiff meeting Welsh ministers on Cymru's Peredur Owen Griffiths said Wales was "forgotten" in Wednesday's announcement and said any consequential funding "will be worlds away from making up for the billions of pounds we've been deprived of over the years"."Their supposed "partnership in power" serves no purpose and the people of Wales deserves better," he reporting by Gareth Lewis
BBC News
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Severn Bridge crossing change begins as concerns raised
Hauliers have said they fear a ban on HGVs on the M48 Severn Bridge will be a "nightmare" for congestion on roads around south east Tuesday, vehicles over 7.5 tonnes will no longer be able to use the original crossing because the cables which support the bridge are deteriorating. National Highways said safety was their "number one priority" and the weight restriction was to future-proof the bridge "for years to come". But there are concerns the move will see more congestion on the Prince of Wales Bridge as well as other routes as HGV traffic has to use a 13-mile diversion back to the M4 Magor junction. "It's going to be a right mess, I am just dreading it," said Darren Hobbs, transport manager for Jaga Brothers Tranport based in Magor."A lot of our work is time delivered - we are going to be ringing our customers to say, 'sorry we can't get there'," he said, adding it will create up to two hours extra work for said traffic in the area, particular on Friday was "carnage" and believes the changes will only make that worse. 'Loads of questions' According to National Highways, the UK government body which maintains the bridges, 32,000 vehicles used the M48 bridge a day in that figure 10% were over 7.5 tonnes, meaning an extra 3,270 large vehicles a day could have to find a different Highways said since tolls were removed on the bridge in 2018 there has been a 34% increase in traffic, which has meant a substantial increase in weight over the bridge which it was not designed for. Michael Gough, of AE Gough and Sons haulage firm based in Llandrindod Wells and director for Wales with the Road Haulage Association, said he believed the move will add a "huge amount of extra stress" for drivers."Our biggest worry is what happens when there is an incident on the Prince of Wales bridge," he said."At the moment all they are saying is that lorries will have to go up the M5 and down the M50. There are just loads of questions. " The ban will be in force for between 12 and 18 months while National Highways work to find a option is to find a way to stagger the HGVS that want to cross the bridge through the kind of technology used in smart solution would be to repair the cables, but it is estimated that could cost between £300m and £600m and take five years or more. Chris Pope, project manager at National Highways, admitted the exact way forward was unclear."The bridge is safe - the issue we have is, as part of the inspection we did two years ago, we take out sample of wires that are then sent out for testing," he said. "And it's those testing results, a very small percentage, that have come back lower. ""To ensure we have plenty of safety factors on the bridge, unfortunately we have to reduce that loading and the only way is to reduce the weight of the HGVs on there." A motion was passed at a full council meeting at Monmouthshire Council earlier this month calling for urgent action to address the potential knock-on impact."We are going to be stuck with this impact for a very long time, impacting both residents and businesses in the local area," said Lisa Dymock, Conservative councillor for the Portskewett ward."I think we will see businesses shut - there are some well-known distribution centres in the area and as soon as a premises comes up across the bridge, I can see them going elsewhere which takes jobs away.""The M48 is one of the main arteries into Wales and it will impact our local economy," she Agency has said it will delay some planned works to the eastbound section of the Prince of Wales Bridge but ongoing works to the westbound direction will continue until early July.
