A ROW broke out today between the Welsh government and Westminster after a Tory announcement of a potential new railway station in St Athans in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper visited the marginal parliamentary seat with local MP Alun Cairns and claimed that the Tory government is supporting plans to improve rail links in the region.
But eagle-eyed locals took to social media to point out that the commitment was only to fund the development of a business case to look at options for a new station in St Athan — not a new station itself.
The Welsh government reacted sharply to the announcement saying it had not been told before the announcement was made, nor was there any detail about actual funding for the infrastructure itself.
A Welsh government spokesperson told the Star that rail infrastructure is not devolved and Welsh railways had been underfunded by the British government for many years.
“It’s disappointing the UK government has failed to provide any substantive detail behind the headlines for its support for a new station at St Athan, including what funding will be provided to deliver the infrastructure,” they said.
“We’re committed to working in partnership with the UK government to improve rail infrastructure and services across Wales, but today’s announcement undermines this ambition.
“It does not align with the joint Wales Rail Board infrastructure priorities, which were developed with the UK government in good faith.”
Welsh Labour’s parliamentary candidate Kanishka Narayan said: “Wales, despite boasting 11 per cent of the rail network route length in England and Wales, has long been short-changed, receiving only 1.6 per cent of rail enhancement spending over the past Tory decade.
“This announcement will likely amount to nothing but another empty promise.”
“It means nothing will be delivered in this Parliament. If entrusted to represent the Vale, I won’t settle for lip service and false hopes.”
The Vale of Glamorgan has been won by the party forming the Westminster government in every general election since the seat was created in 1983.
Tory MP Alun Cairns won the seat in 2019 with a majority of 3,562 over Welsh Labour.
