Latest news with #railfunding
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Some new Welsh train stations will take more than three years
It will take more than three years to build some of the stations that funding was announced for in the spending review, Wales' first minister told the Senedd on Rachel Reeves announced £445m of rail funding for Wales last week, some of which will be spent on five new stops along the mainline between Cardiff Central and the Severn cash has been allocated for the scheme than the £385m over five years estimated to be needed in a transport Cymru's Rhun ap Iorwerth argued the chancellor's spending review, which covers three to four years of spending, "left Wales trailing further behind". BBC Wales has been told that the £445m is a fraction of the overall funding needed for the projects as many will need more money in future spending reviews due to the length of time it takes to deliver rail has not been announced yet how quickly ministers believe the stations would be in First Minister's Questions on Tuesday, Morgan said the cash was a "good first step to addressing the historic underfunding when it comes to real rail infrastructure".She said: "You can't switch these things on overnight."We've done our job in Welsh government to prepare, to make sure that these things are in place, ready to go."But there was always a recognition that it would take more than three years to build some of those train stations."She made the comments in reply to ap Iorwerth who took objection to claims by Labour sources that the £445m was more than what Wales would have got had the Welsh government received money because of the High Speed 2 rail the multi-billion scheme is classed as an England and Wales project, there is no knock on additional funding for Wales as a result."It simply isn't true," he said, quoting Cardiff University academics in saying any suggestion that the funding compensated for HS2 was "unsustainable".He argued the spending review "left Wales trailing further behind in terms of the investment needed" with the "worst real terms growth in the capital budget of all devolved governments". The review gave its support to five stations backed by a review of transport options along the M4 corridor in south Wales - named Cardiff East, Newport West, Somerton, Llanwern and Magor & take place the scheme would require upgrades to the south Wales mainline.A total of £300m was earmarked for the schemes in the spending review, as part of a pot of cash that included support for the North Wales Level Crossing, Padeswood Sidings and Cardiff West £38m was allocated for the South Wales Metro project while the remainder is believed to be earmarked for planning rail schemes over ten years. Experts have warned that the spending review could result in cuts if the NHS swallows extra funding that was announced for the settlement, Morgan said it saw "£5bn in terms of public spending, that's money that we can spend on the things that matter to the people of Wales".Additional reporting by Gareth Lewis.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
UK Government ‘betraying Wales' over rail funding, Plaid leader says
Plaid Cymru has called for the First Minister of Wales to condemn the UK government for 'betraying Wales' on rail funding. Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid, criticised the UK Labour Government for reclassifying the £6.6 billion Oxford to Cambridge line to an England and Wales project. The designation means Wales will not receive the additional rail funding it would get if branded an England-only project. Mr ap Iorwerth called on Eluned Morgan, the Welsh Labour First Minister, to condemn the reclassification. Baroness Morgan agreed Wales was not getting its fair share but said she was expecting to see positive changes in the UK Government's spending review on Wednesday. Mr ap Iorwerth's comments come following reports that revealed the project had originally been listed as England-only from 2020 to 2024. The Treasury told the BBC the classification was a 'publishing error' and insisted it was always considered an England and Wales development. Speaking First Minister's Questions in the Senedd on Tuesday, Mr ap Iorwerth said: 'We were getting our share until Labour actively moved the goalposts. 'Labour went out of its way to make sure Wales wouldn't get the money when the big spending really began.' He added: 'She should be joining me in condemning the UK Labour Government for betraying Wales. Will she?' Mr ap Iorwerth argued the reclassification was a 'new HS2 scandal' – a rail project that has been controversial in Wales. Despite none of the track being laid in the country, it was also designated an England and Wales project by the last UK Conservative government. Plaid has said this designation cost Wales £3.9 billion in funding. Responding to Mr Iorwerth, Baroness Morgan said: 'I've learned to expect nothing but constant negativity from the Plaid Cymru leader. 'I've been clear and I've been consistent when it comes to rail funding that we have not been getting our fair share of funding, in a position that the Tories left us with for over a decade. 'The difference between the Tories and the UK Labour Government is that they've recognised that injustice. 'I don't know what's going to be in the spending review, but the one thing I do know is that if Labour gave Wales a total land of milk and honey, Plaid Cymru would still find fault.' Baroness Morgan added they were 'expecting something positive from the spending review', but the Welsh government would have to keep on making the case for a fair share of funding. In January, the UK government admitted Welsh railways had been underfunded, with spending at 'low levels' in recent years. However, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander did not announce any additional funding at the time.
BBC News
09-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Wales not given fair funding for rail, says Lee Waters
Wales does not get its "fair share of rail funding" and the system must be "fixed", said a former Labour minister responsible for for a £6.6bn Oxford-Cambridge rail line were previously classified as an England-only project, which means Wales could have been entitled to more the Treasury announced there was a "publishing error" in a 2020 document and it should have been classified as an England and Wales Waters, the Labour MS for Llanelli said the "cock-up" highlights the broader issue of how "unclear" and in need of reform the funding system is. Rail in Wales is not devolved, which means funding is determined through the UK government using the Barnett formula. Speaking to BBC Radio Wales Breakfast on Monday, Waters said: "Is it cockup, is it a conspiracy? Who knows - almost always a cockup in my experience."But he said "it speaks to the broader truth" that "the system needs fixing".He said: "We have not had our fair share of funding, the formula does not work to our advantage. "It is not clear how the formula works and therefore we don't trust when things like this pop up."Waters said only a few weeks ago the Welsh government "had to dip into our own coffers" to pay for the national insurance costs, which should be covered by the UK government as per a Treasury agreement."We need to reform the Barnett formula," Waters said. "We need to have the UK treasury acting as a UK treasury for the whole of the UK, not just for whoever happens to be in government in England at the time."He added that this is not "a party issue" because "this happened under the last government, it's happening under this government".He said it is "the government machine" which must be "changed and fixed".He said he is "confident" his London colleagues are ensuring Wales gets more funding, but is "less confident" they are trying to reform the Barnett said part of the issue is there "is not a Wales pot of money for rail, we have to fight our corner in the England and Wales pot."Waters said: "There's a UK Labour manifesto commitment to create a Wales fund for schemes so there can be transparency."But he said he is "nervous" about "wholesale devolution of rail without the extra funding", because it comes with the responsibility of repair work. He said: "You can argue we should get the extra funding, but it's back to 'do we trust the UK funding arrangements to do that?'"The UK government previously said the "error" over the Oxford-Cambridge line classification "will be amended when an update is published at the spending review".The HM Treasury has been approached for comment.
