North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has slammed the lack of funding for rail infrastructure in North Wales following the Chancellor’s Spending Review yesterday.
The Welsh Government’s own figures show that the previous Conservative UK Government invested over a billion pounds into the Welsh rail network over the last 10 years, three times more than was announced yesterday.
Having long championed the need for improved rail services for the people of North Wales, Mr Isherwood is deeply concerned by yesterday’s announcement.
He said:
“The Spending Review will award Wales £445 million over 10 years, which may sound like a lot, but it works out at just over £40million a year, which is peanuts in terms of rail spending, and around a third of the £1.4billion spent by the previous UK Conservative Government.
“After years of complaining of under funding for Welsh Railways and calling for extra money to make up for the spending on HS2, there was an assumption that substantial sums would be forthcoming – not a huge cut.”
Mr Isherwood added:
“Labour have been promising us an increase in funding for our railways for over a decade.
“I am concerned that without extra funding my constituents will be left behind.
“It is disappointing that the Labour MPs in North Wales have not stood up to challenge this decision and secure the much-needed funding for rail infrastructure in the region.”