Rail Infrastructure: South-west Wales

Transport – in the House of Commons at on 29 April 2021.

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Photo of Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards Independent, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr

What recent progress has been made on improvements to rail infrastructure in south-west Wales.

Photo of Andrew Stephenson Andrew Stephenson Assistant Whip, Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Significant improvements are being planned and delivered at pace and, on 6 May, the people of Wales will be able to vote for a Welsh Conservative Government committed to working with us to deliver even further rail infrastructure improvements.

Photo of Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards Independent, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr

I was disappointed to receive an answer from the Department to a written question indicating that the Labour Government of my country had not made any formal representations to the British Government regarding the proposed West Wales Parkway on the main line. However, while I fully support the project, we need to be far more ambitious. It could form part of a transformational metro system for the west of Wales, centred on Swansea city, by linking up the whole western coalfield valleys and beyond. Considering the manner in which High Speed 2 is shafting Wales, will the British Government compensate the communities that I represent so that a comprehensive public transport revolution can be delivered for south-west Wales?

Photo of Andrew Stephenson Andrew Stephenson Assistant Whip, Minister of State (Department for Transport)

As the hon. Gentleman will know, this Government are committed to delivering the West Wales Parkway station—indeed, it was in the 2019 Conservative manifesto. We continue to work with all local partners to deliver this. It is currently being progressed to outline business case stage using regional funding.