Trains across the United Kingdom are a crucial component of British public transportation, with over 10,000 miles of train networks within Great Britain. Most people will have experienced the frustration in dealing with train delays and cancellations. Historically, trains were the best form of travel; cheap, convenient and reliable although we all know that this is not the case now. Train lines are riddled with delays and extortionate ticket prices making travel on the rail network less appealing than previously. To say that Britain has a modern connected rail network excludes a significant proportion. The difficulty is seen most prominently with the case of Wales, where it is easier to go back and forth over the English-Welsh border than staying on the non-existent train lines in Wales!
The journey from Bangor (North Wales) to Cardiff (South Wales) is a clear portrayal of how challenging rail travel is in Wales. This journey requires either changing at Crewe or Shrewsbury and for the modern day exposes the ‘not-so-modern’ elements of British rail networks. This logistical problem is more than just an inconvenience adding time to journeys, it shows that the transport networks of Wales are second to those of other parts in the UK. This raises potential questions over how public transport should be organised within the UK across constituent countries. Would a revert back to nationalism create a better rail network in other parts of the UK or is privatisation the best way to go with more available resources? This is not an issue caused by one government but instead the continuous disregard of transport networks other than in England.
It would be easy to portray the Welsh disadvantaged rail network as being deliberately underfunded by Westminster but the reality is that there are already economic hubs in England – so why not make use of them? Expanding rail networks is an expensive task and Wales’ geography is not ideal for rapid modernisation and expansion. For efficiency, it is easier to use existing rail networks back into England but for a practicality and logistical sense Britain’s rail networks need modernising equally to reduce the dramatic inequality some regions experience.
This case of unequal rail distribution involves many actors including the UK Government, Welsh Government, Network Rail and the individual rail companies showing that this is more a case of a governance challenge than companies and organisations ignoring the Welsh rail needs. Long-term connectivity between actors is difficult to achieve and is often harder to prioritise over short-term gains. Responsibility for the Welsh rail situation remains ‘shared’ but with some actors not entirely in control or in charge.
The Welsh example is not the only case of underdeveloped rail networks within Great Britain, but it is one of the most prominent, logistically pressing examples. The clear North-South divide within Wales illustrate how the disadvantages in public transportation have knock-on political, social and economic impacts. The current system provokes looking at the British rail system as a whole so that regions such as Wales are not disadvantaged and can become part of Britain’s ideal modern twenty-first century rail networks.
It can at times feel like those responsible for railway planning ran out of supplies in Wales and instead linked all lines back to England! For a commuter blissfully unaware of the direct rail planning process until realising the consequences shows just how separated organisations planning and maintaining railways are from those that actively use them. The Welsh case is a mere example of where short-term objectives over-rule long-term interests of interconnectivity and greater regional independence, both within parts of England and to devolved parts of Britain. A better system of communication to cut costs and logistical nightmares on all forms of Britain’s public transport in all areas is needed.
Really insightful article looking at a very timely issue. The phrase “Responsibility for the Welsh rail situation remains ‘shared’ but with some actors not entirely in control or in charge.” really resonates with how governance is distributed not only in Great Britain but Wales as well.
An amazing read!