Railway Infrastructure in Wales

Welsh Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 4 Dec 2020 Closed: 15 Nov 2021 Parliament page
We will look at where responsibility lies for the management of rail infrastructure in Wales, how funding is allocated to rail infrastructure projects across the UK and the share of investment Wales has received since 1994. We will also look at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the rail … Read more
6 Recommendations
13 Conclusions
2 Reports
4 Oral sessions
1 Letter
4 Events
Activity timeline 12 events
22 Sep
2021
Report published
14 Jul
2021
Report published
14 Jul
2021
Report published
11 Mar
2021
Oral evidence
11 Mar
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
25 Feb
2021
Oral evidence
25 Feb
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
11 Feb
2021
Oral evidence
11 Feb
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
9 Feb
2021
Correspondence
21 Jan
2021
Oral evidence
21 Jan
2021
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Virtual meeting
Oral evidence sessions 4 sessions
11 Mar 2021
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Oral evidence
Chris Heaton-Harris · Department for Transport David T C Davies · Wales Office
25 Feb 2021
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James Hooker · Welsh Government Ken Skates MS · Welsh Government Simon Jones · Welsh Government Sir Peter Hendy · Union Connectivity Review and Chair of Network Rail
11 Feb 2021
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Bill Kelly · Network Rail James Price · Transport for Wales Mark Hopwood · Great Western Railway Richard Scott · The West Coast Partnership Sarah Kelley · CrossCountry
21 Jan 2021
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Julian Glover · Department for Transport Professor Mark Barry · Cardiff University Professor Stuart Cole · University of South Wales
Title HC No. Published Items Response
First Report - Railway Infrastructure in Wales HC 438 14 Jul 2021 19 Responded
Adroddiad Cyntaf: Crynodeb HC 438 14 Jul 2021 0
Recommendations & Conclusions
19 results
1 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
There is a strong environmental and economic case for substantially enhancing the rail infrastructure that...
There is a strong environmental and economic case for substantially enhancing the rail infrastructure that serves Wales, and the passenger experience of slow services and inadequate stations only underlines the need for an upgraded network. The South East Wales Transport … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government notes this recommendation. The intervention in the South Wales Relief Lines is currently being worked upon by Network Rail at Outline Business Case stage. The remit has … Read more
Wales Office
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2 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
Improving transport infrastructure within Wales must be a priority and should focus on how infrastructure...
Improving transport infrastructure within Wales must be a priority and should focus on how infrastructure initiatives can remedy deprivation, boost the Welsh economy and contribute to meeting decarbonisation targets. Enhancements should include a focus on improving connectivity within Wales, such … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government notes these recommendations. The interim report of Sir Peter Hendy’s independent Union Connectivity Review (UCR) was published in March 2021. From the work undertaken to that point, … Read more
Wales Office
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3 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
A number of potential infrastructure upgrades suggested by witnesses to our inquiry are cross-border in...
A number of potential infrastructure upgrades suggested by witnesses to our inquiry are cross-border in nature, reflecting the relatively short distance between key urban areas such as Cardiff and Bristol in South Wales and Wrexham and Merseyside in the North … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government notes these recommendations. The interim report of Sir Peter Hendy’s independent Union Connectivity Review (UCR) was published in March 2021. From the work undertaken to that point, … Read more
Wales Office
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4 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
The Union Connectivity Review represents a significant opportunity to establish priorities for rail infrastructure which...
The Union Connectivity Review represents a significant opportunity to establish priorities for rail infrastructure which will not only support economic development and decarbonisation in Wales, but improve the experience of those passengers for whom cross-border travel is simply local commuting. … Read more
Government Response
In response to the UCR’s interim report, the UK Government made available £20m for a new Union Connectivity Development Fund so that development work could be started on some of … Read more
Wales Office
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5 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
The Williams-Shapps White Paper sets out comprehensive reform of the British rail network and makes...
The Williams-Shapps White Paper sets out comprehensive reform of the British rail network and makes a strong case for electrification as the main mechanism for decarbonising rail travel. The Government’s analysis and commitment to technological upgrades is welcome and the … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government agrees with this recommendation in part. In ‘Decarbonising transport: a better, greener Britain’,1 we committed to deliver a net zero rail network by 2050, with sustained carbon … Read more
Wales Office
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6 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
Both the South East Wales Transport Commission and the Williams-Shapps White Paper make a powerful...
Both the South East Wales Transport Commission and the Williams-Shapps White Paper make a powerful case for the role rail, and in particular electrification, can play in the decarbonisation agenda. It underlines how short-sighted and regrettable Railway Infrastructure in Wales … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government notes these recommendations, although agrees that electrification will play an important role in our programme to achieve our net zero 2050 target (see the response to Recommendation … Read more
Wales Office
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7 Recommendation
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
Bringing forward new proposals for greater connectivity between Swansea-Cardiff- Bristol, which would include completing electrification...
Bringing forward new proposals for greater connectivity between Swansea-Cardiff- Bristol, which would include completing electrification on the mainline between Cardiff and Swansea and a Swansea Bay Metro to integrate the public transport network westwards to Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire and feed … Read more
Wales Office
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8 Recommendation
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
A number of witnesses to our inquiry suggested that a more joined-up and clearer approach...
A number of witnesses to our inquiry suggested that a more joined-up and clearer approach to Wales’s infrastructure needs was required in order to unlock investment. We therefore recommend that the UK Government should establish a Wales Rail Board, consisting … Read more
Wales Office
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9 Recommendation
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
While we welcome the positive working relationship between the Welsh and UK governments on rail...
While we welcome the positive working relationship between the Welsh and UK governments on rail infrastructure projects, we are concerned that the UK Government’s Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline (RNEP) is too slow and hampers, rather than helps, the evaluation of … Read more
Wales Office
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10 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
Network Rail’s revised structure has helped Network Rail respond to incidents in Wales, build relationships...
Network Rail’s revised structure has helped Network Rail respond to incidents in Wales, build relationships with Transport for Wales (TfW) and sharpen its focus on Wales and borders services. However, Network Rail should be alive to concerns that its regional … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government notes this recommendation. Network Rail operates at arm’s length and is free to structure itself as it sees fit to deliver a safe, efficient railway for taxpayers … Read more
Wales Office
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11 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
If clear benefits for both passengers and freight users could be delivered by devolving rail...
If clear benefits for both passengers and freight users could be delivered by devolving rail infrastructure to the Welsh Government then the case for further devolution would be compelling. However, few benefits to rail users have been identified and the … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government agrees with these recommendations in part. Together with their industry partners in Wales, DfT has undertaken a review of the governance arrangements applicable to the development and … Read more
Wales Office
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12 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
However, even if one puts aside the question of affordability and liabilities, there is the...
However, even if one puts aside the question of affordability and liabilities, there is the issue of how closely connected and densely populated the border between Wales and England is. The mainline connecting north and south Wales runs through England … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government agrees with these recommendations in part. Together with their industry partners in Wales, DfT has undertaken a review of the governance arrangements applicable to the development and … Read more
Wales Office
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13 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
The Williams-Shapps review said that the UK Government wishes to establish a new working agreement...
The Williams-Shapps review said that the UK Government wishes to establish a new working agreement between Great British Railways (GBR) and Transport for Wales. We believe that the Wales Rail Board we have recommended would be the correct setting in … Read more
Government Response
DfT recognises the potential benefits identified by the Committee of a dedicated forum to develop a shared vision and a prioritised set of proposals for rail infrastructure improvement and investment … Read more
Wales Office
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14 Recommendation
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
We welcome the changes announced in the 2021 Spending Review which will reform the process...
We welcome the changes announced in the 2021 Spending Review which will reform the process by which the Treasury evaluates infrastructure projects. It is imperative that the Treasury’s approach to evaluating rail infrastructure proposals takes account of a broader range … Read more
Wales Office
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15 Recommendation
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
HS2 is one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the UK.
HS2 is one of the largest infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the UK. It is a project of unprecedented size and complexity and has already created several thousand jobs as part of a supply chain that spans the country, including … Read more
Wales Office
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16 Recommendation
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
The development of the HS2 programme in England could yield direct benefits to Welsh rail...
The development of the HS2 programme in England could yield direct benefits to Welsh rail passengers if it is accompanied by enhancements to the North Wales mainline, including the upgrades at Chester and Crewe stations which will be required for … Read more
Wales Office
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17 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
Efforts should be made to develop synergies between climate mitigation efforts, such as protecting against...
Efforts should be made to develop synergies between climate mitigation efforts, such as protecting against rising sea-levels, and measures to protect transport infrastructure. Noting that significant Welsh transport infrastructure lies either adjacent to the coast or runs along valley lines … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government agrees with this recommendation. Climate change is the most pressing environmental challenge of our time. We must limit global warming to well below 2°C and have legislated … Read more
Wales Office
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18 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented challenge to the rail network and rail operators across the...
COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented challenge to the rail network and rail operators across the UK. Significant investment has been required from governments to keep services operational at a time when many workers have had to work from home as … Read more
Government Response
DfT has developed and implemented a new business planning process for all train operating companies (TOCs) which aims to improve outcomes for passengers, financial performance and industry efficiency. To help … Read more
Wales Office
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19 Conclusion
First Report - Railway Infrastruct…
We are concerned that Covid-19 should not be used as a pretext for halting investment...
We are concerned that Covid-19 should not be used as a pretext for halting investment which, in the long term, would only further cement the car as the transport mode of choice in Wales. Instead this should be an opportunity … Read more
Government Response
the Department for Transport, Welsh Government, Transport for Wales and Network Rail to take stock and consider the role of rail Wales’s future transport network. Using the Wales Rail Board … Read more
Wales Office
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Correspondence 1 letter
9 Feb 2021 To committee Letter from James Price, Chief Executive, Transport for Wales, re Future of Rail update, 8 February 21
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