Kurtz and Davies Call for Fair Rail Funding for West Wales

Welsh Conservative Members of the Senedd, Samuel Kurtz and Paul Davies, have urged the Labour Welsh Government to ensure that rural communities in West Wales are not overlooked following the Chancellor’s announcement of £445 million in rail investment for Wales over the next decade.

The funding, which averages just £44.5 million per year, falls significantly short of previous investment levels. Between 2014 and 2024, the UK Conservative Government delivered over £1 billion for rail infrastructure in Wales.

 Samuel Kurtz MS, who represents Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said:

“Five new stations within a 13-mile radius of Cardiff and Newport offer no benefit to the communities I represent

“While the former UK Conservative Government had committed to funding a new station at St Clears, that pledge has vanished under the current Labour government, a government that has presided over a shrinking economy and now threatens working people with higher taxes

“For any Labour politician to claim this is a good deal for West Wales is an insult to the intelligence of our communities.”

Paul Davies MS, Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire, said:

"The Chancellor’s Spending Review fails to deliver for the people of Pembrokeshire – in fact, it fails to deliver for anyone in Wales who lives west of Cardiff."

“Not only is the infrastructure funding to Wales substantially lower than what the previous UK Government delivered, but there is also absolutely nothing to support communities in west Wales.

“We need strong representation at Westminster to fight for our communities and to persuade the UK Government to invest in Pembrokeshire – because right now we are being completely ignored.”