CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves has announced a historic £445 million boost to rail funding in Wales.
It will allow the Welsh Labour Government to put forward detailed plans for improvements to the Wrexham-Liverpool line and upgrades to the North Wales mainline.
The announcement provides the funding for the first major component of Network North Wales to be delivered, and for development work to relieve capacity constraints at Chester station.
Last month, Welsh Government Transport Secretary Ken Skates put forward plans for increased train services between Wrexham and Bidston to two trains per hour within the next three years, ahead of the introduction of four trains per hour that will run direct between Wrexham and Liverpool by 2035, after rail line works at Padeswood are completed.
This funding will advance these plans.
In addition to numerous improvements in North Wales, the funding will propel forward plans for five new stations in South East Wales. The infrastructure funding will be released over the next ten years.
Wrexham MP Andrew Ranger and MS Lesley Griffiths said: “Today’s news is a win for Wales and a win for Wrexham. Improvements on the line between Wrexham and Liverpool will benefit the local economy and connect communities across both sides of the border.
“Wales was starved of rail funding under the previous Conservative governments and we welcome this long-overdue investment. This is a clear example of two Labour Governments working together for the benefit of the people of Wales.”
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