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Swansea rail electrification plans scrapped

Plans for electrification between Cardiff and Swansea have been scrapped, the UK Government has said.

The service is due to start running between London and Cardiff in 2018.

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Swansea Council say they've been 'betrayed' by UK Government

Swansea Council 'angry and betrayed' by UK Government Credit: PA

Swansea Council have responded to the decision to scrap the rail electrification between Cardiff and Swansea.

They say they've been "betrayed by the UK Government" over the announcement.

The council has also expressed its concern about the Swansea tidal lagoon project saying it will be pressing the UK Government because "it is vital for Swansea and the City Region."

We are angry. We feel we’ve been betrayed by the UK government. We’ve had meeting after meeting with ministers about the electrification of the line to Swansea and they told us it would happen. We were assured it would go ahead.

Our private sector partners have been side by side with us on this and I suspect they will be equally angry, frustrated and disappointed with this announcement.

It seems now that the money is being directed elsewhere, to High Speed 2 in England which will not offer any foreseeable benefits to this part of Wales.

The people of Swansea have been badly let down about the electrification project and they must not be let down about the lagoon as well.

Ministers have been making the right noises about the lagoon for months but they’ve delayed and delayed the decision. We will now be pressing them hard about it because it’s vital for Swansea and the City Region. We need to know it’s going ahead.

– Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader
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Swansea rail electrification plans scrapped

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