Today’s announcement confirms that the Tories have been taking people for a ride - McDonald

Andy McDonald MP, Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, commenting on the Government’s scrapping of plans to electrify the Great Western Mainline between Cardiff and Swansea, said:

“The Tories have been promising the electrification of the Great Western Mainline from Paddington to Swansea since 2012 and today’s announcement confirms that they have been taking people for a ride.

“The cancellation of works means passengers will be denied the faster, greener, more reliable train journeys they were promised, and South Wales will miss out on the economic activity that improved rail services deliver.

“The decision betrays a promise to South Wales and the Transport Secretary sneaking out the news on the final day before he goes on his summer holidays adds insult to injury. 

“The Tories do not act in the interests of the whole UK. They have put their own survival, finding £1 billion for a deal with the DUP, ahead of everything else and it’s communities like those in South Wales that pay the price.”

Ends

Notes to editors

• In 2015, the then Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb MP, assured Steven Kinnock MP that the South Wales mainline would be electrified[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/learn-anything-new-question-time-10182116]