Another chapter in the Great Welsh Train Robbery has recently been written. Due to the unique way in which the Westminster Government shafts Wales on transport projects, we will once again be missing out on hundreds of millions of pounds in funding. This is because a multi-billion-pound rail project between Oxford and Cambridge will be classed as an England and Wales scheme. This classification is hugely significant because if the project is deemed England-only, which it clearly is given the track runs between two English cities, then Wales would get a percentage of the total cost of the scheme.

Scotland will get their share of funding, as will Northern Ireland. Maintaining the tradition of Westminster conning Wales out of much needed transport funding, we will get zip under this Labour-run government. This comes on the back of Wales losing out on billions in transport funding due to the classification of the HS2 high speed line between London and Birmingham as an England and Wales transport project. It is impossible to make this decision make any sense whatsoever – just try explaining it to someone in the pub or café and watch their bemusement. To me, it points to a real lack of respect shown to Wales and its people by Westminster. When you consider our lack of public transport connectivity – particularly in rural areas like Monmouthshire – these spread sheet decisions have very real and damaging consequences for our communities. I hold the transport brief for Plaid Cymru and have looked at some proposed schemes or developments that would a real difference to our transport network but the money is just not there whilst we are being deprived of the billions of pounds we are owed.

The fact that this is happening under a Labour Government in Westminster makes all their protestations about the unfairness of HS2 whilst in opposition ring all the hollower. People are fed up of politicians promising one thing whilst in opposition only to do the opposite when they finally gain the power to do something about it e.g. pension justice for 1950s-born women. It is worth noting that we would not be at the mercy of Westminster on rail funding had a Labour Government in Wales not refused responsibility for rail infrastructure funding when it was offered to them in the early years of devolution. That decision to shirk responsibility has cost Wales billions in transport funding and could be regarded as one of the biggest blunders of the devolution era.