Welsh government demands talks with Westminster on 'unfair' rail funding

Plaid Cymru's new transport minister has asked for talks with the UK government to demand better rail funding for Wales.

Mark Hooper said successive UK governments had failed to address a "long-standing symbol of unfair rail funding" over High Speed 2, which is classed as an England and Wales project.

Hooper said £445m announced for new stations last year "falls far short" and called for a "more ambitious" level of funding.

A Labour source said the UK government plans to "right the wrongs of historic underinvestment".

Plaid Cymru had promised at the May election to push for greater funding and powers from Westminster.

While a small number of lines in the south Wales valleys are maintained by the Welsh government, most rail infrastructure is the responsibility of the UK government.

Previous Welsh governments have long complained that Wales' rail network has suffered from under investment.

The large sums of money spent on HS2 ramped up those grievances. It was recently announced that the scheme could cost up to £102.7bn and may not open until 2039.

England-only schemes generate a consequential sum of money for Welsh budgets, but because HS2 was classed as an England and Wales project that has not happened, unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Westminster UK government has argued it is addressing underinvestment in rail, announcing £445m for new rail stations and other projects a year ago.

Before the election Sir Keir Starmer committed to a plan of work worth £14bn over 15 years, although the vast bulk of the money to build the proposed 43 stations has not been identified.

Only the £445m has been formally committed, with cash confirmed for seven stations.

In a letter to Alexander, Hooper wrote: "For Wales, HS2 is also a long-standing symbol of unfair rail funding that successive UK governments have failed to address."

While he welcomed the endorsement of the £14bn Transport for Wales rail plan, the deputy transport minister said the funding announced last year "falls far short of addressing the historic under-investment".

"I am keen that our officials work together on a far more ambitious pipeline of investment ahead of the next spending review," he added. The next spending review is expected in 2027.

Hooper said the Welsh government "wants to negotiate fairer rail funding for Wales", along with a pathway to full devolution.

Plaid wants control over Wales' railways to be fully in the hands of the Welsh government.

A Labour source said: "After avoiding the topic during the Senedd election, it is a positive step forward that Plaid have finally thrown their support behind the up to £14bn plan for rail agreed by the UK Labour government and the previous Welsh Labour government."

"Worth far more than what Welsh government would have received had HS2, or any other rail project been devolved, this investment will bring new stations and better services to people across Wales and right the wrongs of historic underinvestment by successive Tory governments in Westminster."