A new multi-billion-pound rail line between Oxford and Cambridge has sparked fury in Wales after it was classed as a project for “England and Wales,” despite no track being laid in Wales. The £6.6 billion rail line is being paid for through the UK Government’s “rail network enhancements pipeline”. But because it’s classed as a project for both England and Wales, it will not trigger any extra money for Wales under the Barnett Formula.
Critics say the decision mirrors the long-running row over HS2 and could cost Wales hundreds of millions of pounds in investment. David Chadwick, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast: “It’s HS2 all over again.” He accused ministers of “denying Wales hundreds of millions in funding that could transform our own rail network”.
The UK Government says its pipeline also supports rail upgrades in Wales, including improvements to Cardiff Central Station and the south Wales relief lines.
But former Welsh Labour transport minister Lee Waters said the system “does not pass the common sense test” and told BBC Wales: “We need to fix the system so that this doesn’t keep happening.”
Under current rules, Scotland and Northern Ireland receive extra funding when rail investment is made in England and Wales.
But if a project is classed as “England-only”, Wales would also receive a share.
None of the track for the Oxford to Cambridge line is planned to reach Wales, just as HS2 doesn’t, yet both projects have been labelled as benefiting England and Wales.
Plaid Cymru called the decision “absurd” and said it would deny Wales millions in infrastructure investment.
The party’s Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts, told the BBC: “The rail line lies entirely within England and will offer no benefit to Wales.”
Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan told the Senedd that “rail infrastructure is not devolved” and that while she believes Wales is not getting its “fair share,” the current classification is part of a broader UK system.
She said she hoped Wales would be recognised during the next spending review and stressed that the Oxford to Cambridge line was “very different to HS2”.
Meanwhile, the TSSA rail union called for the classification to be reconsidered.
General secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said it “undermines trust and risks depriving Welsh communities of much-needed funding”.
Welsh Government Transport Secretary Ken Skates said the funding system has “historically disadvantaged” Wales, but said a “pipeline” of new projects had now been agreed with Westminster to tackle years of under-investment.