Campaigners call for major rail expansion in Wales

Campaigners have urged political parties to back a major expansion of Wales’ rail network ahead of the Senedd election, warning that large parts of the country risk long-term decline without better connectivity.

In an open letter, Traws Link Cymru said Wales is being held back by a lack of joined-up infrastructure.

“Wales currently lacks a coherent, all-Wales heavy rail network capable of supporting balanced regional growth,” the group said.

“Too many communities… remain disconnected, limiting economic opportunity, access to education and healthcare.”

The organisation is calling for a renewed, “ambitious” approach to railway development, including reinstating long-closed lines linking Bangor, Caernarfon, Pwllheli, Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.

At the heart of the campaign is what it describes as a missing north–south rail spine along the western side of Wales.

Currently, journeys between north and south Wales often require lengthy detours via England — something campaigners say reflects a structural weakness in the network.

Reinstating former rail routes closed during the Beeching cuts would create a continuous west coast corridor, reconnecting communities that have been isolated for decades.

The group argues the issue goes far beyond transport.

“This is not simply a transport proposal. It is a long-term regional strategy,” it said.

Campaigners say improved rail links would expand labour markets, improve access to education and healthcare, boost tourism, and support local businesses.

Economic concerns

The group’s accompanying briefing warns that regions including Gwynedd, Ceredigion, Powys and Carmarthenshire face long-term population decline, driven in part by poor connectivity and limited economic opportunities.

It argues that without intervention, these trends risk becoming entrenched.

“This is about enabling West and north West Wales to compete and thrive, rather than manage decline,” the report states.

Campaigners also highlight the environmental benefits of shifting journeys from road to rail, alongside potential for freight transport in rural areas.

Central to the campaign is a demand for a fresh feasibility study into restoring rail links.

Traws Link Cymru says previous assessments have been too narrow, focusing heavily on engineering challenges and short-term demand rather than wider economic and social benefits.

“We are asking all political parties… to commission a meaningful, comprehensive and independent feasibility study,” the group said.

“Wales deserves infrastructure planning that is bold, evidence-based and rooted in national ambition.”

The proposed study would examine job creation, regional investment, environmental gains, tourism potential and the cultural benefits of reconnecting Welsh-speaking communities.

Election

With the Senedd election just weeks away, the group is calling on parties to commit to examining how rail investment could transform Wales.

It said it was not asking parties to back specific projects in advance, but to support a full and evidence-led assessment of the country’s long-term transport needs.

Traws Link Cymru has also invited political parties to meet with campaigners to discuss how improved rail connectivity could be reflected in their manifestos.

The group, founded in 2013, has long argued that reconnecting west Wales by rail is key to the country’s future.