Written evidence submitted by Pembrokeshire County Council (CAN0001)
On behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council I wish to express my disappointment on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council for the cancellation of the electrification of the railway between Cardiff and Swansea. Pembrokeshire is a member of Swansea Bay City Region and works collaboratively on strategic transport matters with other local authorities in the region. Below is my evidence under the four headings given by The Welsh Affairs Committee:
1.1. The electrification of the railway between Cardiff and Swansea would have complemented the electrification of the line from Paddington to Cardiff. Swansea serves a population of 750,000. High value transport projects should not stop short of the most populous communities or economic generators. This Authority therefore supports rail electrification to Swansea.
1.2. Quicker, cleaner, lighter and more reliable trains.
1.3. Improved public transport links to Pembrokeshire’s core tourism and energy businesses.
1.4. Regeneration, reduction in peripherality, agglomeration and economic multiplier efforts.
1.5. Potential increased capacity for rail passenger and rail freight which is required due to the increasing rail passenger and freight demand in South West Wales.
1.6. Sustainability and modal transfer.
1.7. Improved links to Ireland.
1.8. The need for a fast, reliable rail network is essential for the development of employment opportunities.
1.9. The development of Milford Haven as an energy hub and designated Enterprise Zone by the Welsh Government.
1.10. By electrifying the railway line to Swansea Her Majesty’s Government would have made access to and from Pembrokeshire quicker, more reliable and more comfortable for passengers and help facilitate increases in capacity for passengers and freight.
2.1. Limiting westward electrification to Cardiff means using relatively inefficient Bi-mode trains to Swansea from Paddington. This undermines part of the justification for electrification of the line between Paddington and Cardiff. Having gone to the trouble and expense of electrifying the railway between Paddington and Cardiff electric trains will not be running on it. Bi-mode trains are less efficient, heavier and more costly to run than electric only rolling stock.
2.2. The estimated cost of electrification to Swansea is £0.7bn. This compares to a cost of £15bn for Crossrail and an estimated cost of over £30bn for Crossrail 2. Less than 2% of this combined scheme cost would deliver rail electrification to South West Wales, one of the most impoverished parts of Europe.
3.1. The former PM David Cameron previously said that electrification to Swansea would "have a huge impact on extending jobs in a part of Wales that had been neglected of infrastructure investment". Pari passu the current administration has decided that this part of Wales continues to be ‘neglected of infrastructure investment’.
3.2. Proposals for public transport infrastructure improvement, emanating from the South West Wales Transportation Study (see 4.1 below), including heavy rail and possibly a Swansea Metro, must be predicated on a modern, environmentally sustainable, integrated electrified system. Rail electrification to Swansea is a strategic investment in this region’s shared economy that has been promised so it is important that, given that Cardiff has secured electrification, Swansea Bay investment for electrification is not spent elsewhere. Swansea Bay contains the biggest urban footprint in Wales and deserves and needs its fair share of investment.
4.1. The City and County of Swansea, on behalf of the South West Wales region, are commissioning a study to identify how transport provision and integration could be improved across the Swansea Bay City Region. This study will include a review of the current centres of projected regeneration, development and growth but particularly the major schemes identified as part of the City Deal.
4.2. Regional workshops and liaison with key stakeholders will form a significant element of the study. One key stakeholder will be Professor Mark Barry of Cardiff University and his proposal for a Swansea Bay Metro which has recently attracted considerable press coverage; though the area served by this initial Swansea Bay Metro proposal does not extend to Pembrokeshire.
4.3. The aim of the study will be to identify a package of transport improvement measures to be delivered across the region should there be potential to access funding.
4.4. I welcome the news that ‘services from Pembroke Dock to London via Carmarthen are on new, state of the art Intercity Express trains’ (Chris Grayling MP Transport Secretary reported 20 July 2017). Hopefully this will motivate improvements to the line speed west of Whitland which is slow. Whereas the line speed between Port Talbot and Swansea is 90mph (but slower approaching Swansea), and between Swansea and Whitland it is 75mph (but slower approaching Carmarthen), it is 50mph between Whitland and Pembroke Dock (but slower at Tenby, Narberth and Pembroke tunnels with trains stopping at uncontrolled level crossings).
4.5. The devolvement of rail infrastructure spending to Wales will allow appreciation of local factors in allocating investment. For instance the decision to run the new express trains to Pembroke Dock is welcome but the line to Milford Haven, which is faster and serves Pembrokeshire’s two largest towns, or to Fishguard for the direct ferry link to Ireland could also be considered as terminus points; which is perhaps more appreciated in Cardiff (or Swansea) than Swindon or London.
October 2017