Western Mail Wales shunted aside over rail investment

THE second reading of the Railways Bill, which will create a new state-owned body responsible for both rail infrastructure and rail services, took place at Westminster earlier this week.

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Great British Railways (GBR) is being positioned as a throwback to the nationalised rail sector before Margaret Thatcher's privatisation agenda - although railway infrastructure, overseen by Network Rail, has been on the government's books for some time.

However, as it stands, the legislation - opposed by both Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats - does not sufficiently protect the interests of Wales, with UK Government and DfT ministers only required to consult Welsh Government ministers.