“Wales has not received an equitable share of UK rail investment over a sustained period, denying us the economic benefits enjoyed elsewhere in the UK,” he said. “Network Rail’s Wales Route, which makes up 11% of the network, has received little more than 1% of total spend on enhancements in England and Wales. This has resulted in low line speeds on the South Wales Mainline, capacity and speed constraints along the North Wales Coast and infrequent commuter services for the Swansea Bay city region.”

 

Professor Barry was appointed in May to lead on the case for greater rail investment in Wales against the backdrop of the £50Bn investment in High Speed 2. His work highlights that the speed, number and quality of services are constrained by old, inefficient and unreliable infrastructure, with Victorian signalling and level crossings that frequently bring road traffic to a standstill.

 

“Long term under investment compared to the UK as a whole has left our railways unfit for purpose,” said Professor Barry. “This is a brake on our economic growth and on reducing air quality and carbon reduction. “Wales needs to see the same levels of investment in its rail infrastructure commensurate with schemes like Crossrail, HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail.”

 

Professor Barry's work shows that investment in a range of potential schemes in Wales could generate at least £2Bn in transport user benefits. Schemes identified include line speed improvements from Severn Tunnel Junction to Swansea, new services linking Cardiff and Swansea with London and Bristol and a new dedicated Swansea Bay commuter rail network.

 

Modernisation of the North Wales Main Line is also urged from Crewe to Holyhead as well as faster long distance services serving the region’s key hubs.