Shadow Rail Minister visits West to discuss future train plans
A group called the Western Gateway Partnership has set out a vision for how to improve train services across the West Country and South Wales by 2050
A senior Labour politician has met with his West Country counterparts and business leaders, to discuss the future of rail travel across the region.
Stephen Morgan MP, the Shadow Minister for Rail visited Bristol Temple Meads today (21 September) to discuss the Western Gateway's 2050 Rail Vision for South Wales and Western England.
The proposals, put together by key stakeholders both sides of the Severn Estuary, outline how the rail network could develop to improve transport links.
The Shadow Minister was given a tour of Bristol Temple Meads Railway Station as the UK’s first station Innovation Zone and met with a range of organisations to hear how the station fitted in with wider plans for the area’s rail network.
The vision for 2050 aims to help channel public and private investment into the area.
Stephen Morgan MP, said: "Western Gateway’s Rail Vision 2050 should lead to an ambitious programme to deliver transformational improvements to the region’s transport network, enabling innovation and connecting communities.
“Studying in Bristol I saw the economic potential not only for the city and its region but also the country.
“It was a pleasure to be back in Bristol to meet the team, see and hear about the political will and partnership working to unlock opportunities for the region and the plans to deliver a rail service fit for the future.”
The Western Gateway 2050 Rail Vision was launched in March this year in partnership with Transport for Wales and the Western Gateway Sub-National Transport Body.
The vision shows how the area could nearly halve current journey times between cities in the area and drastically improve journeys to London and elsewhere in the UK.
This visit follows on from a successful parliamentary launch which saw Stephen Morgan MP alongside the UK Rail Minister, Huw Merriman MP, and Shadow Transport Secretary, Louise Haigh MP, attend to hear more about the plans.
Cllr Jane Mudd, Vice Chair of the Western Gateway and Leader of Newport City Council, said: “We are delighted to be able to welcome the shadow minister to our area and have a chance to show him some of the exciting work going on to develop the next generation of train services.
"This vision is key to making sure our area gets the rail system our communities deserve.
"An effective and fast rail network will be essential if we want to make sure we can decarbonise our transport system and reach our climate change goals.
“Through the Western Gateway vision we want to support schemes like this across our area and fill in the gaps to make sure we can deliver on our area’s potential to create sustainable economic growth for the UK.”
Councillor Tom Renhard, Cabinet Member for Housing Delivery and Homes at Bristol City Council, said: “Last year, after years of work with partners, we secured £95 million to unlock 10,000 new homes and 22,000 new jobs in Temple Quarter alongside Network Rail’s refurbishment programme and major upgrades to Brunel’s station.
“Western Gateway’s vision can help further transform the area around Temple Meads into a world class gateway to the city-region, developing a £1.6 billion boost for our local economy.”