Support our Nation today - please donate here
Opinion

Train wreck: How an uncaring Westminster and incompetent Welsh Government blew 3.5 million of taxpayers’ money

15 Aug 2017 0 minute read

Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

11 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Gareth
Gareth
6 years ago

for once, this blog hit’s the nail on the head. Not only did Westminster mess up, but Cardiff Bay/Cathays Park didn’t notice. Sadly of course this being the summer – this story has been around for almost a month now: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-40671902 And yet radio silence from Adam Price? Is he not meant to be Plaid’s Transport Spokesperson? Today he’s called for a dedicated transport minister in the WG – makes perfect sense, although horrendous ironic given the fact that he and Dr Dai Lloyd split transport and infrastructure for the party. Over the last ten years Wales has had four… Read more »

The Bellwether
The Bellwether
6 years ago

An excellent article illuminating once more what we already know about the UK government and Welsh Labour indolence. But (there’s always a but) it also shows us the relative ineffectiveness of Plaid Cymru. In spite of knowing all this and the efforts of the esteemed Mr.Edwards MP at the highest level still nothing has been resolved with trains or anything else for that matter. Also, it should have been immediately obvious that there was no way that Westminster would ‘devolve’ a major transnational asset like the rail network citing security or any other grounds they can dream up. If we… Read more »

Martin
Martin
6 years ago
Reply to  The Bellwether

I don’t think this comment is right, because the information was revealed to a Plaid Cymru MP which means she was doing her job.

Nigel Patrick Thomas
6 years ago
Reply to  Martin

Agree. They’re not in Government, ffs.

Melindwr
Melindwr
6 years ago

“Apathy and insolence”; almost a quote from Gwyn Thomas’ 1962 play, The Keep. It’s the story of a dysfunctional Welsh family, driven to desperation and eventual dissolution by Con, the son who’s little on common sense but big on political ambition. Con is “a pain in the neck, and if your neck doesn’t feel it yet, be sure that Con will be getting in touch with you.”
Ring any bells down the Bay?

Nigel Patrick Thomas
6 years ago

Excellent article. Shame about the apostrophe. Or is there just one big taxpayer funding this?

Nigel Patrick Thomas
6 years ago
Reply to  NationCymru

😀

Jac o' the North
6 years ago

But never mind, the ‘Welsh’ Government will have responsibility for the lines around Cardiff, and really that’s all that matters. There’s devolution summed up.

Dafis
Dafis
6 years ago

The piece from ………….”It’s undoubtedly more a case of c**k-up rather than conspiracy,” ……..right through to ……………………”.Westminster doesn’t care about Wales and lethargic Labour passively watches our managed decline…. The examples are endless, but the effects are tangible” sums up our predicament which has existed from almost day 1 and has accumulated over 18 years or so. The “listless and languid approach” is the norm in the Bay also unless there’s a photo opportunity or a trip abroad, and that insolence and laziness is their typical pose nowadays. I’ll say no more about the army of civil servants as that… Read more »

Tame Frontiersman
Tame Frontiersman
6 years ago

There has been is a failure to understand the technological and administrative complexity of implementing the WGs ambitious plans for the South Wales Metro and to anticipate the problems thrown up by the transfer of responsibility for the Wales and Borders franchise and possibly some of Network Rails infrastructural responsibilities to the WG and Transport for Wales. Delays and cost hikes or a scaling back of ambitions are the inevitable consequences. There is a wider problem here, inherent in Welsh devolution from its start: the transfer of problems for which London has no political will to solve, to politicians in… Read more »

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.