A £30 million pledge from the UK Chancellor for the Cardiff Parkway railway station has been called an "insult" by a Welsh government minister, who argued it represents a "tiny fraction" of what is needed for Wales' rail infrastructure.
On Wednesday, the UK government's Budget announcement included funding for three projects in Wales: £2.5 million for a science park in Ynys Mon, £11 million for a bridge in Port Talbot, and the £30 million for Cardiff Parkway. UK ministers stated that the rail funding is part of a larger £445 million package previously announced at the last Spending Review. The UK government has also committed to supporting plans for five new stations in Cardiff, Newport, and Monmouthshire, as well as upgrades in north Wales.
Finance minister Richard Fuller, the chief secretary to the Treasury, defended the £445 million allocated for rail projects in Wales, attributing it to "chronic underinvestment in Wales" by past Conservative and Tory-Liberal Democrat UK governments. "We need to clear away the red tape and get the planning in place," Fuller said. "So the reason that we have given £30m to Cardiff Parkway Rail Station yesterday is because we've done the work together to get the planning in place, so we can get that money flowing."
He added that he was "all ready to work" with the Welsh government and Transport for Wales to advance the project.
However, Welsh government transport minister Ken Hooper met with UK government ministers and officials in London on Wednesday to discuss his plans for rail. Hooper told BBC Wales that the £30 million was insufficient and an "insult to the people of Wales." He asserted that the UK government's "continued failure to invest in their network in Wales demonstrates, now, more than ever, the need for devolution of rail."
Hooper disputed claims that the stations were not "shovel-ready," stating, "The UK government promised this money in February and since then we've agreed with Network Rail that Transport for Wales will deliver the stations. Transport for Wales are ready to start work we just need the UK government to keep their promise. I made this point to the rail minister when I met him today."
The Welsh government highlighted that while Wales accounts for 10% of the rail network across Great Britain, only 1% of Network Rail's spending is allocated to Wales. Developers had initially hoped for Cardiff Parkway to be operational by 2024, but the planning process experienced significant delays. Cardiff Council approved plans in April 2022, but the Welsh government, under former First Minister Eluned Morgan, reviewed the application, ultimately granting planning permission in January 2025.