Has the Welsh Government commissioned any work or received any expert advice that suggests that Neath station should be removed from the main railway line between Cardiff and Swansea?
I have made clear the Welsh Government’s position in relation to Neath Station. I believe that the station and its services shouldn't just be protected but enhanced.
Transport for Wales has commissioned Strategic Outline Programme Cases to develop the case for investment by the UK Government in the rail network across Wales. It will be important that this work is joined up with the development of the Swansea Bay Metro.
This work involves identifying a long list of options for improving journey times by rail for commuters and long-distance travellers.
These will include exploring how the infrastructure can be enhanced to ensure that the new Inter-City Express Trains performance and capabilities can be used to best effect.
For example, the maximum allowable speed of the trains is seldom reached on the journey between London and south Wales, and never in Wales. It is understood that the trains may be capable of speeds even greater than their current maximum, but the signalling technology does not support higher speeds.
All of the constraints which lead to impairment of journey times need to be explored. The focus must be on ensuring that all passengers, including those who use Neath station, can benefit from improvements in connectivity and journey times.