Welsh ministers say the country is being short-changed by the ‘reset’ of HS2, which has been announced by transport secretary Heidi Alexander.
She is cutting the maximum speed to 320km/h in a bid to save money, but the Welsh Government has accused ministers at Westminster of denying Wales a ‘fair share’ of funding.
Deputy minister for transport Mark Hooper said: ’The latest figures showing HS2 will cost up to £102.7 billion make it clearer than ever Wales is being short-changed by the UK Government's approach.
’HS2 has been classified as an 'England and Wales' project – despite not a single centimetre of track being laid in Wales.
‘This is not acceptable. Every pound denied to Wales is a pound that cannot be invested in the integrated, modern transport network that our communities deserve.
‘Pursuing Wales's fair share of funding is a central priority of this Government’s relationship with Westminster. We are committed to pressing the UK Government to right this wrong and ensure Wales receives the funding it is owed.’
The Department for Transport said the UK Government is responsible for heavy rail infrastructure in England and Wales, and that ‘following years of underinvestment in Welsh infrastructure, this Government has recently announced £445 million in direct funding to modernise and upgrade Welsh rail’.
It also pointed out there is a £14 billion pipeline of railway projects for Wales, which ’is far more than the Welsh Government would have received had HS2, or any heavy rail project, been devolved’.
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