‘How Labour is modernising transport in Wales with fairness at its heart’

This week was a game changer for Welsh rail.

On Wednesday, our First Minister, Eluned Morgan, and the Prime Minister announced a generational commitment to modernise Welsh rail. We are going to build seven new stations across Wales, supporting 12,000 jobs.

This will transform the way people across Wales travel for decades to come. The new stations – Magor and Undy,  Llanwern, Cardiff East, Newport West, Somerton, Cardiff Parkway, and Deeside Industrial Park – are a massive win for commuters and businesses alike, unlocking economic opportunities right across the country.

It’s a huge, unprecedented investment, righting the wrongs of the chronic underinvestment and instability inflicted by the previous Tory governments. We’ve been held back for too long, but now we can build the future people deserve.

It is proof of what can be achieved when the Welsh and UK Labour governments work together to deliver for the people of Wales and now the funding is there to deliver generational change. A change that means we can build a fairer future and write a new chapter for Wales.

Because that’s what matters to communities across the country. People want fairness they can feel, through more job opportunities, increased investment where they live, in connectivity and improving how we travel.

READ MORE: ‘A fairer Wales for the future – a new chapter for Welsh Labour’

Working together with the UK Labour Government and Transport for Wales, to deliver the £14bn pipeline of projects as quickly as possible, this Welsh Labour Government will be able to deliver more frequent services connecting more communities, provide more new trains and install better technology across the service.

Commuters won’t have to wait long to see this change either, with work starting on five of the new stations later this year and our current upgrade of Cardiff Central station due to get underway in the Spring. 13.3 million new rail journeys each year will be created as a result of this commitment, with £6.3bn in wider economic benefits.

These are transformational numbers, driving growth in the economy and delivering the next generation of Welsh rail projects.

This is just the latest stage of our transport transformation. We’re already seeing the benefits of our £1.1bn upgrade and electrification of the Core Valley Lines.

Gone are the days of old noisy diesel trains, thanks to our Welsh Labour Government’s £800m investment in a new rail fleet. We are ensuring that the Welsh transport system is being upgraded to the very best standards in Europe.

It really is an exciting opportunity and a forward-thinking, long-term vision. It’s a vision that only a Welsh Labour Government can deliver. Reform are hell-bent on cutting services and reversing life-changing policies, such as the two-child benefit cap. Plaid Cymru are indecisive on whether they want to support net-zero efforts or not.

While other parties shout from the sidelines, Welsh Labour is getting on with delivering for communities across Wales, with a proud record and an ambitious vision for the future.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve already pledged to go further on transport if we lead the next Welsh Government, by introducing a £2 cap on single bus fares and adding new routes to every part of Wales. We’ll tackle the cost of living and improve access to public services.

This is an exciting new chapter for Wales, with fairness at the heart of these generational changes.

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