Railway bosses quizzed on Swansea to Cardiff railways
1 December 2017
The Welsh Affairs Committee continues its inquiry into rail electrification in South Wales with a session focussing on the management of the Great Western Railway improvement project and potential for future rail improvements between Swansea and Cardiff.
- Watch Parliament TV: The Cancellation of Rail Electrification in South Wales
- Inquiry: The Cancellation of Rail Electrification in South Wales
- Welsh Affairs Committee
The Committee will hear from leading rail industry figures: Mark Carne, Chief Executive of Network Rail, Mark Hopwood, Managing Director of the Great Western Railway, and David Clarke, representing the wider railway industry.
In July 2017, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling announced that the planned electrification of Cardiff to Swansea section of the Great Western Railway had been cancelled. Prior to this announcement, the project had been criticised for poor planning, delays and growing costs. The original business case put forward by the Welsh Government in 2012 put the cost for that part of the line at £156 million. By 2016, a report by the National Audit Office had raised this figure to £433 million.
This session will look at the reasons for the cost over-runs and eventual cancellation of the scheme, and ask what lessons have been learnt that would prevent such issues occurring in future projects. It will also investigate long term solutions for providing cost-effective, high quality rail services in South Wales. It will consider in particular the effectiveness of new bi-modal trains on the route and the potential for new technologies to be employed.
Witnesses
Tuesday 5 December 2017, Grimond Room, Portcullis House
From 4.15pm
- Mark Carne, Chief Executive, Network Rail
- Mark Hopwood, Managing Director, Great Western Railway
- David Clarke, Technical Director, Railway Industry Association