'Scots get real power on railways, Wales nothing'

Westminster is offering Wales “nothing more than a pat on the head” in its rail plans, a Liberal Democrat MP has said

- GEORGE THOMPSON AND RHIANNON JAMES

Westminster is offering Wales “nothing more than a pat on the head” in its rail plans, a Liberal Democrat MP has said.

David Chadwick criticised the UK Government's treatment of Wales, which he said was suffering from “systemic neglect” while Scotland gets real power over its railways.

Mr Chadwick was speaking during the debate on the Government’s Railways Bill, which will bring train services under public ownership and enable the creation of the new publicly-owned body, Great British Railways.

The Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP told the Commons on Tuesday that his constituency had some of the most neglected rail lines anywhere in the UK, forcing people to endure cancellations, slow journeys and “signalling technology that belongs in a museum”.

The Liberal Democrat Wales spokesman said: “What does this Bill do to fix any of that? Nothing.