The Welsh Government is calling for intervention by the Department for Transport after it clashed with Great Western Railway over proposals for Transport for Wales trains to run between west Wales and Bristol.
The plans are for two-hourly services between Fishguard Harbour or Milford Haven to Bristol Temple Meads via Cardiff Central, but GWR says such trains would abstract revenue from its existing trains between Cardiff and Bristol and mean less money for the government in London, which collects all GWR’s revenue under the conditions of its National Rail Contract.
GWR, which is currently owned by FirstGroup but will be renationalised in December, said: ‘It should be noted that due to its devolved status, under existing revenue allocation mechanisms the majority of the revenue growth for the industry will not return revenues directly to HM Treasury.
‘We welcome any enhancements to provide additional levels of service for customers along a key route, but this needs to be done so as not to be detrimental to existing services or already agreed future services which will serve south Wales.’
The Welsh deputy minister for transport Mark Hooper said: ‘If Great Western Railway’s objection succeeds, it would negatively impact tens of thousands who could benefit from this service.
‘I will be writing to the UK transport minister to urgently ask for clarification and call for some common sense on this issue.’
As the dispute concerns track access, a decision is due to be made by the Office of Rail and Road.
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