5. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport: Ambitions for Great Western and North Wales Main Lines

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:42 pm on 8 May 2018.

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Photo of Jenny Rathbone Jenny Rathbone Labour 4:42, 8 May 2018

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for setting out the threats and the opportunities that face Wales, and also for appointing Mark Barry, who is a fantastic enthusiast of public transport and therefore, I think, will be a great bonus to setting out our stall. But, clearly, we don't hold all the levers. One of the big concerns of some of my constituents is the rise and rise of rail fares, which far outweighs the rise in wages. For those who need to travel outside Wales for work, it is quite punitive, what is being charged. If it was that the massive price increases were then being reflected in increased investment in carriages and extra Wi-Fi and more trains, that would, I'm sure, be accepted, but the fact is that that's not what is happening.

We do have an enormous challenge in that our UK Government is so south-east England-focused. If they'd started HS2 in Manchester, rather than in the south-east, you might be convinced that they were beginning to look at a transport system that covered the whole of the UK, but, clearly, that's not about to happen.

One of the big issues for my constituents is the necessary upgrading of Cardiff Central station, which is quickly going to have insufficient capacity to manage the increased number of trains that people want us to be delivering. That is something that we can't do unless the UK Government gives GWR or Network Rail money to do something about it. So, I fear it's a good illustration of how dependent we are on the largesse of the UK Government.

I do recall that when Chris Grayling cancelled the Swansea electrification, he immediately started talking about all the things that he might do with the money to go to south-west England, which is just disgraceful. So, we absolutely have to have a fit-for-purpose rail and bus link, and I look forward to the day in which we have these joined up together.