Concerns that the Senedd electoral contest could jeopardise five planned railway stations in the Newport area seem to have materialized.
The Prime Minister unveiled a £14 billion package in February for seven railway stations across Wales, including five between Cardiff and Severn Tunnel Junction designed to reduce traffic on the M4 motorway.
The planned halts at Llanwern, Newport West, Somerton, Magor and Cardiff East were part of broader public transport enhancements and road modifications suggested as substitutes for the M4 relief road that the former Labour First Minister Mark Drakeford abandoned in 2019. Construction on the initial pair of stations, comprising Magor and Undy, is not anticipated to commence before 2028.
However, Reform UK’s Welsh leader Dan Thomas, who is standing in the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency, stated last week that certain stations are unnecessary and indicated that some of the £14 billion should be redirected towards constructing an M4 relief road instead.
In the Welsh leaders discussion on Channel 4 News, Thomas pledged to deliver the M4 relief road alongside improvements to the A470 and A55 in North Wales.
When Labour’s Eluned Morgan challenged him about funding sources for these proposals, Thomas responded by pointing to the £14 billion allocated for seven railway stations, arguing that most of these are neither required nor desired, and suggested reallocating those funds to road construction. He insisted the resources exist if there’s the political willingness to proceed.
The Prime Minister’s February announcement, representing only an indication of future expenditure, also encompasses a proposed Cardiff Parkway Station at St Mellons and a seventh facility in North Wales to serve the Deeside industrial park.
When contacted via email regarding Reform’s dedication to the five stations and which ones the party considered unnecessary, Thomas provided a vague response, stating only that Reform is the sole party with a viable strategy for constructing the M4 relief road to alleviate congestion and stimulate economic growth.
Monmouthshire council, which had campaigned for the Magor and Undy station, considered the Prime Minister’s announcement in March. Its Labour deputy leader, Paul Griffiths, cautioned about a potential resurgence of competition for railway funding given the Senedd election and anticipated constraints on public expenditure.
Cllr Griffiths characterised the new stations as essential to a broader vision for a South East Wales metro system to complement the network being developed around Cardiff and the Valleys.
He cautioned that numerous politicians from multiple parties were preparing to dismantle that vision and redirect funding back towards extensive six-lane motorway construction across South Wales.
He warned that such a shift would jeopardise not only the specific achievement of the Magor Walkway but also the entire aspiration for a metro spanning South East Wales, with significant consequences at stake.
Labour’s Casnewydd Islwyn candidate Jayne Bryant indicated she had previously supported a relief road but expressed primary concerns about air quality, questioning whether other parties promising a new road could actually deliver. She advocated for public transport investment.
Ms Bryant noted she was 13 years old when an M4 relief road was first discussed, and that a Conservative administration halted it prior to devolution. She cited the loss of protected land to development and new housing construction as barriers to previously proposed routes.
She also stressed that redirecting funds to a relief road is not straightforward, explaining that the money originates from the UK Government and she had seen no evidence it could be repurposed for roads, as rail investment involves collaboration with the Welsh Government. Some aspects, she noted, fall outside devolved powers.
Labour, the Green Party and Liberal Democrats have no proposals for a relief road, and Labour leader Eluned Morgan rejected any notion of diverting the £14 billion, despite her party’s Newport council leader Dimitri Batrouni having informed a council meeting earlier this year that some form of relief road would be necessary alongside public transport enhancements.
The Conservatives were the first major party to release their manifesto, which included a commitment to constructing the relief road. The issue gained renewed momentum when Plaid Cymru announced it would assess the justification for a new road to address M4 congestion at Newport.
Plaid’s Sir Fynwy Torfaen candidate, Matthew Jones, disputed that the new stations face any risk, stating that presenting this as an either-or choice between railway facilities and tackling M4 congestion is a flawed argument.
He continued that Plaid Cymru seeks progress on new stations such as Magor and Undy or enhancements to Severn Tunnel Junction, while also demanding a credible strategy to address Newport’s congestion. He argued that a modern transportation network requires both.