Monday 6 April 2009

Missing the train

I'm pleased that the UK government seems to be starting to look seriously at extending high speed rail links within the UK. Thirty years too late, compared to the French, but better late than never. But where does Wales figure in all this?

A few months ago, when they wanted to try and attract more widespread support for the extra runway at Heathrow, they suggested a new rail hub which would facilitate extending the high speed links to the South West of England and to Wales. But this latest report – which they must have been working on for quite a few months – exposes the reality that Wales doesn't even figure in their thinking for the next decade or two.

That is wholly unacceptable, but it does indicate how much work the Assembly Government and others will need to do in lobbying London to ensure that we are not left even further behind.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for raising this issue, much neglected by the 'Welsh' media. They'd rather have global militarists trained at St Athan and 2 aircraft carriers to attack other countries than decent rail services here.

The debate so far is also much too Anglo-centric: all lines lead to London. The only politician to fight for proper high speed links, north and south, is Jill Evans MEP. She always calls for full Holyhead and Fishguard services linked, via England, to the mainland.

And Jill is one of few elected politicians who joins up the dots: if you spend your money on wars, you won't be able to afford e.g. a decent transport infrastructure.

Traveller said...

Anon is quite right about Jill Evans MEP - and not only joined up in the sense of issues, but joined up in working closely with other elected members and Assembly Ministers.

However, don't quite get your reference to 'north AND south. Thought that was the point - One Wales.

Spirit of BME said...

Listen, You are at the end of the line -in more ways than one. HMG allways considers where public money will do most good and the end of the line is not the place,less than 5% of the UK populaion lives in all of Wales ,therefore the Lurkers in London suport the Law of English Supremacy.The biggest laugh of all is that the people of Wales suport this law by voting for English Law to rule their lives.
So, no suprise if you come bottom of the pile.- Enjoy

Anonymous said...

Good to see the spirit of BME! To be honest 'north and south' was a bit of a slip of the tongue, but we do have two main east-west tracks at either end.

The problem is that Network Rail is very Anglo-centric. They don't look west to Ireland nor the mainland in the east. If Jill could get us, i. e. the rest of the British Isles, included as part of a major trans-European network (by-passing London) we'd have a better chance of funding. I'm sure the Scots government would join in too.

That's it: Celt Rail! We're already doing it in rugby and soccer.