11.03.11
Swansea calls for Euro funds for electrification
Civic leaders in Swansea want European funds to be used to extend electrification into the city.
In its St David’s Day statement on electrification earlier this month, the Government said there was no business case to extend the project all the way to Swansea. It will only go as far as Bristol and Cardiff.
Swansea council leader Chris Holley told Walesonline.co.uk: “Although the Government wants to look at the business plan for Swansea, it’s clear that we could use European funding which would surely help the business case and make the electrification of the rail line to Swansea a reality.
“There are precedents for European funding being used for electrification and introducing high-speed lines in France and Spain."
“The Government must explore this option as a matter of urgency so that Swansea can benefit from high-speed links to London and beyond.”
£100m of European Structural Funds were recently used to develop a LGV line in Brittany, France. The money was used for the Rennes-Brest and Rennes-Quimper stretches of the line.