Janet Finch-Saunders
First Minister, as a result of the withdrawal of three service routes in Wales, I understand that the Department for Transport are actually providing compensatory funding to the Welsh Government. Could you advise us how much this funding is, and also, can you confirm that you’ll be rolling this money back into the rail service in Wales in order to bring about some much needed improvements? Carwyn Jones
Y Prif Weinidog / The First MinisterNo. I’m not aware of what the funding will be at this moment in time. We want to invest more in our rail network. As I say, I don’t see how that chimes with the 30 per cent cut announced today in funding for the Department for Transport in Whitehall, and I do worry that we are now seeing a delay in the electrification of the south Wales main line. We cannot move ahead with electrification of the metro without the main line being done, but thus far, we are not being given a date. Until that is done, the promise that was made by her party will remain unfulfilled. Tell us when the main line in south Wales will be electrified. That’s a simple question and thus far, we have no answer.
First Minister, as a result of the withdrawal of three service routes in Wales, I understand that the Department for Transport are actually providing compensatory funding to the Welsh Government. Could you advise us how much this funding is, and also, can you confirm that you’ll be rolling this money back into the rail service in Wales in order to bring about some much needed improvements? Carwyn Jones
Y Prif Weinidog / The First MinisterNo. I’m not aware of what the funding will be at this moment in time. We want to invest more in our rail network. As I say, I don’t see how that chimes with the 30 per cent cut announced today in funding for the Department for Transport in Whitehall, and I do worry that we are now seeing a delay in the electrification of the south Wales main line. We cannot move ahead with electrification of the metro without the main line being done, but thus far, we are not being given a date. Until that is done, the promise that was made by her party will remain unfulfilled. Tell us when the main line in south Wales will be electrified. That’s a simple question and thus far, we have no answer.