The 海角视频 Government is seeking to devolve rail powers to mayoral regions in England while steadfastly rejecting calls for rail infrastructure to be devolved to Wales.
Following the English Devolution White Paper, the Westminster Government is now inviting mayoral strategic authorities (MSAs) to apply for full statutory and financial responsibility for local rail services, infrastructure and/or control of stations (full devolution).
The 海角视频 Government said that MSAs can seek full devolution of rail responsibilities under existing legislation such as the Railways Act 1993. Where proposals involve services that extend beyond the boundaries of an MSA, they will be carefully assessed, as changes within one area can have significant impacts elsewhere.
The proposed new publicly owned body that will oversee both rail services and infrastructure, Great British Railways (GBR), will retain overarching responsibility for delivery but will work in close collaboration with MSAs to 鈥渆nable local input within an integrated railway system.鈥
In its guidance for a planned major expansion of devolving rail powers in England, the the Department for Transport (DfT) adds: 鈥淒evolution is a positive feature of the railway landscape in England, with significant responsibilities already fully devolved to the mayors of London and the Liverpool City Region.鈥
The , prior to last year鈥檚 General Election, while continuing to call for the devolution of rail, adopted a longer-term view by describing the aim as a 鈥減rocess rather than an event鈥.
In the summer, Rachel Reeves, in her spending review covering the period up to 2029/30, announced 拢34bn for rail enhancement projects in England. For Wales, the Chancellor announced 拢455m.
However, when stripping out 拢90m to develop new projects, 拢77m towards the upgrade of Central station 鈥 which had already been announced subject to business case sign-off, confirmed earlier this month - and funding for upgrading the relief lines in south Wales, this leaves around 拢300m for rail enhancement projects in Wales over the period.
This represents a ratio of roughly 拢1 being spent in Wales compared to 拢100 in England when Wales has a population of 5 people for every 100 in England and 10 miles of rail track for every 100 miles in England.
Under the proposed legislation for GBR, unlike the arrangements in Scotland, there is no statutory underpinning for Wales, only a memorandum of understanding with 海角视频 government ministers.
Both and the have said they cannot support the legislation as it stands, arguing that the only way to address rail underfunding in Wales is through full devolution.
Plaid Cymru鈥檚 transport spokesperson at Westminster, Ann Davies, said that while the Bill may simplify rail operations in England, it fails to address Wales鈥檚 lack of control over its own rail infrastructure and the billions in funding the nation loses as a result.
She added: 鈥淭his Bill makes sense for England. However, it does not work for Wales. It fails to address our lack of control over the Welsh rail track, where two governments manage different parts of what should be a single network. This split makes planning railways in the best interests of the people of Wales almost impossible.
鈥淲e can see this in the broken promise to electrify the South Wales Main Line beyond Cardiff, or even to begin work on the equivalent line in the north. Scotland, by contrast, controls its rail network and sets its own strategy, giving Scottish ministers real influence over Great British Railways. Under this Bill, Welsh ministers can only ask to be consulted 鈥 Wales does not want consultation, we deserve control. It is time to devolve rail to Wales.鈥
Professor Mark of , who has submitted evidence on the legislation, said: 鈥淭he Bill is in reality limited to requiring the 海角视频 Government and DfT ministers to consult Wales (we have had 30 years of that to little effect). Without substantive statutory underpinning, this is empty and leaves Wales short-changed and without sufficient levers to fund and implement its own transport policy.
鈥淲hereas Scottish ministers can prepare their own version of a long-term rail strategy (LTRS) and produce a statutory High Level Output Specification (HLOS) for Network Rail - as they have done since rail powers were devolved to Scotland in 2005 - Welsh ministers can only 鈥榟ave a chat鈥 with the 海角视频 transport secretary to request that Wales鈥檚 requirements are considered within an 鈥楨ngland and Wales鈥 LTRS and HLOS.鈥
Welsh Liberal Democrat MP for , Radnor and Cwm Tawe, David Chadwick, said: 鈥淭his Bill fails Wales. It centralises power in Whitehall, ignores decades of underinvestment, and leaves rural communities like mine at the back of the queue yet again. Scotland gets real control over its railways; Wales gets nothing. Not a single new power. Not a single guarantee of fair investment. Wales deserves equality, not second-class status. That鈥檚 why we won鈥檛 support this Bill in its current form.鈥
The 海角视频 Government was asked, as a matter of principle, why Wales has not been offered full devolution of rail in the same way as English regions - although this would not involve the same level of revenue transfer to MSAs as would be the case if rail were devolved to Wales.
A DfT spokesperson said: "Rail services operated by Transport for Wales are devolved to the Welsh Government, but rail infrastructure and the Network Rail network remain the responsibility of the 海角视频 Government.
鈥淲e have made 拢445m of rail infrastructure funding for Wales available through the Spending Review, and the Welsh Government is closely involved in decisions on how this funding is prioritised and spent.鈥
The department said the Railways Bill requires a memorandum of understanding between the Secretary of State and Welsh ministers, committing both sides to the setting of shared objectives. It add that these objectives will underpin delivery of the railway network in Wales and the Borders.
The DfT insists that the legislation, which could come into effect next summer, does not remove any existing powers from the Welsh Government but formalises new processes for joint working on rail planning and investment.
It added that the strengthened statutory role for Welsh ministers would give Wales greater influence over long-term rail strategy while maintaining the benefits of an integrated Great Britain-wide network.
Giving evidence to the Westminster Transport Committee on the implications of 海角视频 Government rail reform for Wales, the Welsh Government鈥檚 director of transport and connectivity, Peter McDonald, was asked by MP for , Andrew Ranger, how the Railways Bill, as drafted, advances the administration鈥檚 position on greater devolution of rail policy.
Mr McDonald responded: 鈥淚 would say that the Railways Bill, as drafted, is neutral with respect to the devolution settlement. It reflects the current settlement. It takes us further in terms of how the current settlement can operate efficiently and effectively, but it does not, in and of itself, move Wales and the Welsh Government further along the devolution spectrum.鈥
Asked how Welsh ministers would influence or interact with GBR, he said: 鈥淕BR will be a very large organisation in a highly regulated and structured industry, so we feel it is important to wire the system effectively within GBR, such that there is adequate respect for, and consideration of, issues affecting parts of the country where services may be fewer but matter greatly to my ministers. That is why the creation of the business unit within GBR is a really important intervention for us.鈥
Through the Barnett Formula, the Welsh Government previously received a transfer based on changes to the Department for Transport (DfT) budget, using a comparability factor of around 90%, against a 海角视频 population share of about 5%.
That transfer was based on changes to the overall DfT budget. The comparability factor was high because non-devolved items made up a very small part of the department鈥檚 spending and Network Rail expenditure was excluded. However, with HS2 and Network Rail spending now included 鈥 and representing a much larger share of the DfT budget - the comparability factor for Wales has fallen to 33.5%. This squeeze does not affect Scotland and Northern Ireland, where comparability remains close to 100% (95.6%).
The Welsh Government would not entertain taking on devolved responsibility for rail unless it were underpinned by a fair block grant adjustment, one that recognises years of underinvestment in the Welsh rail network. It would also require agreement that the 海角视频 Government, with its stronger fiscal position, retains liability for unforeseen events such as landslides damaging the railway.
Part of the rail network in Wales is already devolved and owned by the Welsh Government via Transport for Wales, through the Core Valley Lines, which are being transformed by a 拢1.1bn electrification programme. The vast majority of services are operated by Transport for Wales. However, the comparability factor has not been adjusted in the Welsh Government鈥檚 favour to reflect its ownership of the Core Valley Lines network.
