Call for more Rail Investment in West Wales includes reopening Amman Valley Line

A call for more rail investment in west Wales, including the reopening of the Amman Valley Line, has received unanimous backing from Carmarthenshire councillors.

They found common ground in a motion claiming that Wales is not receiving its fair share of UK rail funding, with concerns that most investment is concentrated in the south-east and north of the country.

The motion reiterated previous calls for a new station at Whitland, the reopening of the Amman Valley line, and argued that only railway devolution would ensure Wales gets its proper share of major funding — such as that linked to HS2.

It stated that the £445 million of rail investment pledged for Wales over 10 years by Chancellor Rachel Reeves was a fraction of what the country should receive from the England-only HS2 project.

“Desperately Under-Funded” Rail Services in West Wales

Cllr Alun Lenny, who submitted the motion with fellow Plaid Cymru cabinet member Cllr Glynog Davies, said rail was “desperately under-funded” in west Wales, with trains “too often cancelled” and Wales having the highest train cancellation rates in the UK.

Cllr Davies recalled that Brynamman once had two Amman Valley Line stations – one serving Llanelli and another Swansea – before they both closed in 1964. Reopening the line, he said, would give people an alternative to driving along narrow local roads.

“Our governments have to consider this seriously,” he said.

Calls for Fairness, Not Favours

Labour councillor Kevin Madge said the Westminster Government was providing “record” capital funding and that more rail investment was already happening. He added that while he had campaigned for years to reopen the Amman Valley line, there wasn’t “a pot of gold”.

Independent councillor Sean Rees claimed Wales receives just 2% of total UK rail investment despite having 10% of its railways.

“The further west you go in Wales, the worse it gets,” he said.

Cllr Rees argued that poor-quality rail services limit economic, tourism, education, and healthcare opportunities in west Wales.

“This is not asking for favours, it’s about asking for fairness,” he said.

Support for Amman Valley Reopening and New Station at Whitland

Plaid Cymru councillor Colin Evans said he believed services on a reopened Amman Valley line would be well used and bring in “badly-needed revenue” for the area. He also praised the efforts of the Amman Valley Railway Society for keeping the campaign alive.

Labour opposition group leader, Cllr Deryk Cundy, noted that more than £800 million has already been invested in new trains by the Welsh Government and expressed confidence that more funding could follow.

“It’s time for investment to reach west Wales,” he said. “I do believe we will be able to get this funding which we were not able to get previously.”

Plaid councillor Handel Davies added that rail had been neglected for decades, contrasting it with electrified and punctual train systems in Europe that “travel distances quickly without issue.”

Council to Press Welsh Government for Action

The council will now write to Wales’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Ken Skates, asking for greater clarity and accelerated investment in west Wales rail infrastructure. The letter will also express support for devolving rail powers to Wales.

Welsh Government and UK Government Responses

Transport Secretary Ken Skates said Labour was committed to improving public transport across Wales.

“We have invested £800 million on new trains delivering more capacity and higher quality journeys for passengers travelling across Wales and the borders,” he said.

He added that Transport for Wales is reinstating the fifth train on the Heart of Wales Line and has supported extending GWR trains from London to Carmarthen.

“We have been clear and consistent in our position that Wales has been underfunded in rail infrastructure investment, which has now been recognised by the UK Government,” he added.
“We will continue to work with them on an ambitious pipeline of improvements to deliver benefits across Wales.”

Last November, Transport for Wales said early-stage development work for a new station at St Clears had taken place and could progress if future funding became available.

A Department for Transport (DfT) spokesperson said priorities for rail investment across Wales were discussed and agreed with the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales via the Wales Rail Board.

“Last year we allocated £1.9 billion to Wales up until 2029, which will be used to improve rail performance and invest in areas that matter most to passengers and freight customers,” the DfT spokesperson said.
“We are committed to boosting growth and connectivity, working closely with the Welsh Government in making decisions on rail services that work best for its communities — which is why we also provided a further £445 million to enhance Welsh railways and help unlock Wales’ economic potential.”

Featured Image by Elkanah Evans