Rishi Sunak has pledged to electrify the north Wales rail line using 拢1bn in funding saved from the now-cancelled northern leg of HS2. The Prime Minister confirmed that the high speed line will only run from London to Birmingham and not continue to Manchester. The decision to axe the major multi-billion-pound infrastructure project was made due to spiralling costs.
He announced that the 海角视频 Government will support a series of transport schemes after cutting HS2 north of Birmingham, pledging to 鈥渞einvest every single penny, 拢36 billion, in hundreds of new transport projects in the North and the Midlands, across the country鈥. This includes the creation of what he named 鈥楴etwork North鈥, which involves improvements to road, rail and bus schemes.
One of these schemes is a 拢1bn electrification of the North Wales main line, a key demand from transport campaigners in the region. This will improve journey times and reliability and reduce the carbon footprint on the route. HS2 was classified as an England and Wales project, with a station at Crewe earmarked as an interchange for north Wales.
As a result, Wales was denied a Barnett consequential of 拢5bn leading to anger in Wales that it was not benefiting from a direct share of money being spent on HS2 in England. The 海角视频 Government argued that HS2 would benefit Wales by cutting journey times for those travelling from north Wales to London because they could join HS2 at Crewe. In his speech at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, Mr Sunak made no mention of the south Wales mainline to Swansea which had been due to be electrified until that investment was scrapped by Theresa May in 2017.
Wales Office Minister Dr James Davies, who has campaigned for improved rail services in North Wales, said: 鈥淭his is the culmination of many years of effective campaigning by myself and my Parliamentary colleagues, ably supported by Growth Track 360 (North Wales Mersey Dee Rail Taskforce).
鈥淭he investment will transform North Wales鈥 public transport infrastructure and provide substantial economic and social benefits. The North Wales Main Line is a vital part of the 海角视频鈥檚 strategic transport network."
He added: "This announcement today is a further demonstration of the Conservative Party鈥檚 commitment to North Wales, as the A55 was in the 1980s and 1990s. Quicker and more reliable connections will bring economic and social benefits to North Wales and will help the Levelling Up of places such as Rhyl.
鈥淭hey will also be instrumental in binding the country together. This 拢1 billion investment will transform North Wales鈥 public transport infrastructure, getting more people off the roads and on to trains, and giving the North Wales economy the shot in the arm it desperately needs.鈥
Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies said: 鈥淭oday鈥檚 announcement will unlock North Wales鈥 unique potential by transforming its economy and infrastructure. For too long the people of North Wales have been ignored by an incompetent Labour Welsh Government in Cardiff Bay - but the 海角视频 Government is correcting that wrong. Under the Conservatives, North Wales is being given the attention it rightly deserves.鈥
Plaid Cymru鈥檚 Westminster Leader, Liz Saville Roberts MP said: 鈥淗igh-speed rail for London, crumbs from the table for Wales. Electrifying the North Wales Main line is said to receive around 拢1 billion. Plaid Cymru will not accept that this pledge replaces the more than 拢2 billion Wales should have already received in Barnett consequentials for the first phase of HS2.
鈥淚t's only thanks to Plaid Cymru's decade-long demand for Wales to receive our fair share from HS2 that Rishi Sunak now feels pressured to give empty promises of the most modest of benefits to Wales. We cannot believe a word the Conservatives have to say on electrification. For years, the Tories promised electrifying the south Wales line between Cardiff and Swansea, before it was scrapped."
