Major Rail Investment for Wales with Seven New Stations
The UK Government has made a significant commitment to fund seven new train stations across Wales, including a contribution to the proposed Cardiff Parkway mainline project. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has endorsed a comprehensive long-term pipeline of rail enhancement schemes valued at billions of pounds, marking a substantial shift in transport infrastructure investment for the region.
Immediate Funding and Long-Term Vision
Prime Minister Starmer has confirmed that his government will provide immediate financing to deliver six new stations between Cardiff and the Severn Tunnel, along with a new station at Deeside in Flintshire. This Deeside station will specifically support efforts to increase capacity and frequency of train services connecting north Wales with Merseyside.
While there is currently no additional money for rail enhancement projects in Wales beyond the £445 million announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her spending review last July, the Prime Minister's explicit endorsement of these stations strongly suggests that further spending will be allocated in the next spending review. This is particularly important as the next General Election approaches in 2030, ensuring that projects not yet completed or still in pre-construction phases will be delivered.
The Seven New Stations
The seven stations receiving funding include:
- Magor and Undy (a combined walkway station)
- Llanwern
- Cardiff East
- Newport West
- Somerton
- Deeside Industrial Park station in Flintshire
- Cardiff Parkway at St Mellons
Five of these stations, recommended by the South East Wales Transport Commission, have an estimated combined cost exceeding £300 million. Each of the larger stations carries an indicative price tag of approximately £70 million. Work on five stations is expected to commence this year, with construction of two beginning by 2029. The Magor station is anticipated to be the first completed project.
Cardiff Parkway: A Transformational Project
The UK Government has confirmed it will provide funding to realize the new Cardiff Parkway mainline station at St Mellons. Among the seven stations, Cardiff Parkway is currently the only one with planning permission, and construction could potentially start later this year pending the discharge of planning conditions and further assessment of train service capacity.
This station would be integrated into a new 900,000 square foot business park that has already attracted strong interest from engineering giant Rolls-Royce. The company has appraised the site as suitable for a potential new hub that could create thousands of high-skilled jobs. The business park element alone could support up to 6,000 positions.
Rolls-Royce has evaluated Parkway favorably due to its dedicated rail station, access to a skilled workforce, proximity to nine universities across south Wales and western England, and the security offered by a 200-acre site with excellent rail connections to both Cardiff and Bristol.
Funding Mechanisms and Partnerships
Alongside UK Government funding, Transport for Wales would take a long-term lease to operate the station, with a privately funded securitization deal against future rents providing upfront capital. TfW's leasing costs would be covered by increased ticket sales and car-parking income.
The company behind the project, Cardiff Parkway Developments, is owned by Investec and the Roberts family, with a 10% equity stake held by the Welsh Government. The UK Government stated it has agreed on a plan with the Welsh Government and private investors to advance the project, with additional funding made available to deliver the station.
Political Support and Statements
Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the significance of this investment, stating: "For too long, Wales has been let down by a UK Government unwilling to do the hard yards and build the future it deserves. This government is turning the page on historic dither and delay with seven new stations, thousands of jobs, and a generational commitment to build a rail network fit for Wales' future."
First Minister Eluned Morgan welcomed the announcement, saying: "We are now in an unprecedented position to deliver the next chapter of transformation for rail services in Wales. We have secured long-term commitments to key projects and a renewed ambition for our rail network."
Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added: "After years of underinvestment in Welsh infrastructure, this UK Government is modernizing and upgrading Welsh rail. This investment in seven new stations and other upgrades will boost capacity across our network and transform the experience of thousands of passengers."
Additional Infrastructure Enhancements
Over the next three years, the UK Government will also invest up to £30 million in infrastructure enhancements to increase the capacity of a key junction west of Cardiff Central. This improvement will enable more services on the Core Valley Lines network, specifically increasing City Line services from two trains per hour to four, aligning with the wider £1.1 billion South Wales Metro electrification program.
The enhancement will be delivered as part of a renewal scheduled for 2028, providing significant efficiency improvements. Further investment will also be necessary to increase services on the Coryton Line to four trains per hour through the addition of a passing loop.
Industry and Community Response
Vernon Everitt, chair of Transport for Wales, commented: "Transport is an enabler of sustainable economic growth, higher productivity, and access to homes, jobs and education. Supporting the Welsh Government's vision, our plan sets out an ambitious agenda to deliver further progress through investment in rail services as part of an integrated transport network."
Nigel Roberts, chairman of Cardiff Parkway Developments, expressed enthusiasm about the funding commitment: "We now look forward to breaking ground as soon as possible to bring forward this transformational project for Cardiff and the region. This will come as welcome news for the residents of East Cardiff and also provide certainty for those inward investment opportunities we have identified."
This comprehensive rail investment package represents a significant step forward in addressing historical underfunding of Welsh rail infrastructure while creating substantial economic opportunities through improved connectivity and job creation across multiple regions of Wales.
