Welsh Government ‘delusional on Transport for Wales’

Chris Haines – ICNN Senedd reporter

The Conservatives’ shadow transport secretary accused the Welsh Government of painting a rosy picture of Transport for Wales that could hardly be further from the truth.

Natasha Asghar criticised a Welsh Government statement for singing the praises of TfW as a beacon for the benefits of a publicly owned rail operator.

Pressing her opposite number, Ken Skates, she said: “It did hit home with me … because I did feel, were we in fact talking about the same TfW?

“Because the one I know lost some £300m last year, has been bailed out to the tune of £125m, has coughed up £1.8m in delay repay compensation in just one year, and spent nearly £100,000 a month in just software alone, with taxpayers footing the bill for all of this.”

Ms Asghar, who represents South Wales East, said TfW was described as the most reliable operator in Wales – yet polling showed 45% of 1,000 people surveyed felt otherwise.

‘Empty promise’

She warned that people in north Wales feel short-changed on transport spending compared with south Wales, urging Mr Skates to end the discrepancy.

Peredur Owen Griffiths quizzed Mr Skates about GBR Cymru – a proposed division of the UK Government’s Great British Railways, which will bring rail services into public ownership.

“GBR Cymru, without real fiscal clout, is just an empty promise,” he said.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow transport secretary suggested full devolution of rail infrastructure to Wales is off the cards despite the recommendation of an independent commission.

The South Wales East MS reiterated his party’s calls for Wales to get a fair share – estimated at £5bn – from the HS2 project in England.

He warned: “It’s not simply enough to promise future investment; we have to address the lack of historic investment. It can’t just be jam tomorrow.”

‘Not fit’

Labour’s Hannah Blythyn, who represents Delyn, welcomed an announcement of a 50% increase in TfW train services along the north Wales coast.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives’ Paul Davies warned rail services to his Preseli Pembrokeshire constituency are not fit for purpose.

He said: “Today’s statement refers to north Wales, south-east Wales and the south Wales valleys but, as usual, there is absolutely nothing in this statement about west Wales.”

Plaid Cymru’s Sian Gwenllian, who represents Arfon, raised concerns about Avanti West Coast, saying one in five journeys are cancelled each month – often without notice.

Wrexham MS Lesley Griffiths welcomed “significant” improvements brought forward by TfW.

But the Labour backbencher, who resigned from the cabinet in July, said: “Far more needs to be done on ensuring appropriate access for disabled passengers.”

‘Managed decline’

In his statement to the Senedd on September 24, Ken Skates said having two Labour governments working together is already making a difference.

Wales’ transport secretary pointed to the UK Government’s passenger services bill which will “call time” on private franchises and bring rail services back into the public sector.

Mr Skates said TfW is consistently one of the most reliable operators in Wales, with an 80% increase in the number of rail carriages on the network.

He urged the opposition to recognise the scale of what TfW has delivered compared with the “managed decline we saw under the Tories”

He said next year’s UK rail reform bill offers a huge opportunity to fundamentally reform the operating model in Wales, “the most complex of all UK nations”.

‘Poisonous’

Mr Skates said GBR Cymru, which could have a dedicated pot of money for improvements, will deliver against Welsh priorities and be accountable to the Senedd.

The transport secretary said: “I’m under no illusion in terms of the scale of the challenges ahead. On the core valleys lines transformation in particular, we are at a critical stage.”

Accusing the Tories of leaving a “poisonous’ economic legacy, he cautioned: “The money simply isn’t there to deliver all the changes we’d like to see across our transport network.”

Mr Skates said the HS2 project was decimated when the second leg was cancelled in 2023, estimating the consequential funding Wales would expect at £350m.

He added that Welsh ministers await the outcome of the new UK Government’s HS2 review.