Wales is on track for an underinvestment of nearly 拢3bn in new rail projects by 2029, according to a conservative estimate by the Welsh Government.
Last month Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, announced 拢343m rail enhancement projects in Wales in the current five year spending period up to 2024. However, Economy and Transport Minister Ken Skates, in a letter to his 海角视频 Government counterpart, said that there was little new in the funding and that by 2029 Wales is facing a multi-billion pound underspend.
From 2001 to 2029 the Welsh Government has calculated 拢100bn invested, or commitments to invest, from the 海角视频 Government聽 on rail enhancement projects include those by Network Rail, as well as Crossrail in London and the high speed two project from London to Birmingham, before it reaching cities in the north of England.
It said the most generous spend in Wales is put at 拢2.2bn, which includes a 拢755m Barnett consequential from a Department from Transport increase in its overall budget in 2015.
Based on 5% of the population of England and Wales, this it says represent an estimated underspend of 拢2.9bn, but which rises to nearly 拢8bn based on Wales having 11% of the England Wales rail network.
Over the same period (2001-29) the Welsh Government has invested or is committed to spend 拢1bn in rail projects in Wales. Although not a devolved spending matter, it can do so.
Mr Skates said that 拢58m committed by the 海角视频 Government in the 拢343m announcement towards the required upgrade of Cardiff Central Train Station, needed for it cope with significant rises in passengers over the next decade 鈥 assuming a return to pre-Covid projections 鈥 had already been announced last year. The Department of Transport has now released the first tranche, some 拢5m towards the detailed design work needed.
It also includes more than 拢76m in the Severn Tunnel relating to electrifying the Great Western Mainline from Paddington to Cardiff聽 鈥斅 a section of track that is not solely in Wales.
It also includes聽 a 海角视频 Government's contribution towards the electrification of the Core Valley Lines, a rail asset which was devolved to the Welsh Government in March, of 拢196m. This is up from the previous commitment of 拢125m. Work on the Metro project is now under way.
In his letter Mr Skates said: "While news of any additional investment is welcome, I want to my register significant concern about both the nature of the announcement and the continued underfunding of railway infrastructure in Wales by the 海角视频 Government.
"First, it appears that very little of this funding package is actually 鈥榥ew鈥. Many of the projects contained in the announcement, such as 拢58m for Cardiff Central station, had already previously been announced. In fact, some of this package, such as the funding for valleys electrification, dates back to 2014, over six years ago. "
On the Severn Tunnel element, Mr Skates said: "This announcement does not qualify as investment at all. 拢76m of the package accounts for cost-overruns on the south Wales mainline electrification programme. This is money that didn鈥檛 lead to anything extra for Wales, but merely reflects the poor management of that particular project.
"Finally, and most importantly, in the context of the many billions of pounds of investment going into the rest of the 海角视频 network, this package does nothing to address the significant and ongoing underinvestment in Welsh rail infrastructure."
On the conservative assessment of a near 拢3bn underspend in rail enhancement spend in Wales, Mr Skates says: " This figure is even higher if one were to calculate it by the size of the Welsh network relative to the rest of the 海角视频.
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He adds: "There is a clear problem here. Wales has not seen the level of investment in infrastructure enhancements seen in other parts of the 海角视频. It has been the 海角视频 Government that has itself talked about 鈥榣evelling up鈥 across the 海角视频.聽 I believe that this picture of rail underinvestment in Wales, together with the fragmented way in which infrastructure is planned, will not achieve the 海角视频 Government鈥檚 own ambitions.
"I also believe that only through devolution of rail infrastructure powers to the Welsh Government with a full and fair funding settlement to go with it can this situation be addressed."
In response a Department for Transport, spokesperson, said: "We are accelerating聽Britain鈥檚 recovery from coronavirus聽by investing in vital infrastructure across the 海角视频,聽helping get businesses back on their feet, creating jobs and聽levelling up our country.
鈥淲e have already committed 拢1.5bn to the Welsh railways over the coming years and have announced a review into how best to enhance聽transport聽links across the whole 海角视频, to deliver a better connected country and a more sustainable economy after the pandemic.鈥
The figure of 拢1.5bn is in rail operations, maintenance and renewals, and not enhancements in new stations or track. For the current control period six 鈥 from 2019 to 2024聽 鈥 there is a total budget for England and Wales of 拢31bn for operations, maintenance and renewals.
While almost equitable on an England and Wales population basis, it is not in terms of Wales having more than 11% of the rail network.
On enhancements projects some 拢10bn (not including high speed two) has been identified in the current five year control period. Based on a 拢343m enhancement budget for Wales that represents just over 3%.
