THERE have been protests in the Vale after the UK Government announced a fund of £445 million of rail investment in Wales.
This issue is a sore point in Wales, ever since the much-criticised HS2 project did not generate the usual proportion of funds that would be allocated to Wales. Under the Barnett formula, a ‘back of the envelope’ calculation in 1978 by the then Labour Chief Secretary of the Treasury, Joel Barnett, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are supposed to receive a percentage of government investment in England.
All party agreement in Wales is rare, but when it comes to HS2 and the Barnett formula, Labour, Conservatives and Plaid Cymru all say Wales has been short changed.
Rachel Reeves’ announcement of £445 million was intended to acknowledge this, but the vast majority is to be spent east of Cardiff. Critics have said that, after the Wales Government scrapped the M4 relief road, money is being poured into rail travel in the hope of easing congestion in the Brynglas tunnel on the M4 – a notorious bottleneck.
In the Vale, hopes for a railway station in St Athan, where considerable amounts of housebuilding is underway, have been dashed. The Treasury backed plans for five new stations in Cardiff, Newport and Monmouthshire, as well as upgrades in north Wales, with £348m to be spent between 2026 and 2030.
According to the Treasury, the £445m will be spent on fixing level crossings, building new stations and upgrading existing lines, and is a combination of direct funding for schemes and cash for the Welsh government. The remaining £97 million is, as yet, unallocated and will be spent over the next 10 years.
In response, South Wales Central MS Andrew RT Davies has demanded that the Vale gets its fair slice of the £445million.
Mr Davies pointed out that Vale passengers had long been denied the cash they deserve. Unlike the rest of the Valley Lines network, the Vale of Glamorgan Line has not been electrified.
Furthermore, commitments to increase the frequency of services on the line, particularly between Barry, Rhoose, Llantwit Major and Bridgend, have constantly been rowed back.
Mr Davies also said a new station in St Athan must be a priority. He said: “When it comes to rail funding, Labour Senedd ministers have let the Vale down for too long. Residents will see this £445million and ask, just what benefits can I expect to experience?
“We’ve long been promised more frequent services on the Vale of Glamorgan Line, but Transport for Wales has pulled back on these time and time again.
“Our area needs its fair slice of this cash to ensure we get the services we deserve, and in a timely manner. It’s interesting to see new stations promised, but again I have to ask, what about St Athan? The village is crying out for a new station and sits in a prime location.
“Labour Senedd ministers must do all they can to ensure it is delivered.”
- Council still working on St Athan railway station return from 20/11/2024
- Could St Athan get a new Railway Station? from 27/02/2024
By Philip Irwin – Senior Reporter
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