As announced by the Secretary of State for Transport in January, the Northern franchise will change on Sunday 1 March.
Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, said:
“The Northern franchise change is an opportunity for all parts of the industry to work differently to deliver the services people need and want. Urgent reform is needed to make sure different parts of the railway aren’t pulled in different directions again. Our proposals to the government’s review would boost accountability, ensure all parts of the railway are joined up and better deliver for passengers in the long term. The industry is looking forward to the proposed white paper to reform the railway and we stand ready to facilitate smooth implementation with a clear focus on customers.”
The Welsh Government has expressed its disappointment after stations on the Wales & Borders network have missed out on UK Government funding, describing it as “the UK Government’s failure to deliver the investment they are responsible for.”
The Welsh Government has also said it is in the early stages of considering alternative funding arrangements for stations that have not been selected.
On 26th February the UK Government confirmed investment in accessibility improvements in rail stations in Great Britain. Ruabon, Haverfordwest and Whitchurch (Shropshire) were all endorsed by the Welsh Government, but have not been selected by the UK Government in the final funding allocations.
Additional regional accessibility improvements at a further 30 stations were endorsed by the Welsh Government but declined by the UK Government.
The schemes selected were lift additions at Grangetown, Llantwit Major (2), Pontypool and Neath, all through joint funding from the Department for Transport, Transport for Wales, and third party funding (for example local authorities).
Part of Transport for Wales’ funding offer could be used to help schemes that have not been selected, though it may have to meet additional costs from approved schemes. The Welsh Government and Transport for Wales are in discussions over this issue.
Ken Skates, Economy, Transport and North Wales Minister, commented:
“It is disappointing that the UK Government has decided to invest in just 4 of the 7 projects we had promoted and offered to match fund.
“I have therefore asked Transport for Wales and rail industry partners to urgently consider the scope for using the matched funding commitment we offered to progress step free access at the excluded stations, under our own direct investment. This is because of the U.K. Government’s failure to deliver the investment they are responsible for.
“Stations with strong community support for step free upgrades have been excluded from funding. Unfortunately it is another example where passengers are set feel the effect of the UK Government’s continuing underinvestment in Welsh railways.”
“Meanwhile, I am pleased that work will go ahead at the four successful stations.”
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi mynegi ei siom ar ôl i Lywodraeth y DU benderfynu peidio â rhoi arian i orsafoedd ar rwydwaith Cymru a’r Gororau, gan ei ddisgrifio fel “methiant Llywodraeth y DU i ddarparu’r buddsoddiad y maent yn gyfrifol amdano.”
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi mynegi ei siom ar ôl i Lywodraeth y DU benderfynu peidio â rhoi arian i orsafoedd ar rwydwaith Cymru a’r Gororau, gan ei ddisgrifio fel “methiant Llywodraeth y DU i ddarparu’r buddsoddiad y maent yn gyfrifol amdano.”
Mae Llywodraeth Cymru hefyd wedi dweud ei bod yn y camau cynnar o ystyried trefniadau ariannu gwahanol ar gyfer gorsafoedd nad ydynt wedi’u dewis.
Ar 26 Chwefror, cadarnhaodd Llywodraeth y DU y byddai’n buddsoddi mewn gwelliannau hygyrchedd mewn gorsafoedd rheilffordd ym Mhrydain Fawr. Cafodd Rhiwabon, Hwlffordd a’r Eglwys Wen (Swydd Amwythig) eu cymeradwyo gan Lywodraeth Cymru, ond nid yw Llywodraeth y DU wedi’u dewis yn y dyraniadau cyllid terfynol.
Cafodd gwelliannau rhanbarthol ychwanegol o ran hygyrchedd mewn 30 o orsafoedd eraill eu cymeradwyo gan Lywodraeth Cymru ond fe’u gwrthodwyd gan Lywodraeth y DU.
Ymysg y cynlluniau a ddewiswyd oedd ychwanegu lifft yn Grangetown, Llanilltud Fawr (2), Pont-y-pŵl a Chastell-nedd, y cyfan drwy gyllid ar y cyd gan yr Adran Drafnidiaeth, Trafnidiaeth Cymru a chyllid trydydd parti (er enghraifft, awdurdodau lleol).
Gellid defnyddio rhan o gynnig cyllid Trafnidiaeth Cymru i helpu cynlluniau nad ydynt wedi’u dewis, er efallai y bydd yn rhaid cwrdd â chostau ychwanegol drwy’r cynlluniau a gymeradwywyd. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru a Trafnidiaeth Cymru yn trafod y mater hwn.
Dywedodd Ken Skates, Gweinidog yr Economi, Trafnidiaeth a Gogledd Cymru:
“Mae’n siomedig mai dim ond 4 o’r 7 prosiect y gwnaethom eu hyrwyddo a chynnig darparu arian cyfatebol ar eu cyfer y mae Llywodraeth y DU wedi penderfynu buddsoddi ynddynt.
“Felly, rwyf wedi gofyn i Drafnidiaeth Cymru a phartneriaid yn y diwydiant rheilffyrdd ystyried ar frys y posibilrwydd o ddefnyddio’r ymrwymiad arian cyfatebol rydym wedi’i gynnig i symud ymlaen i gynnig mynediad heb risiau yn y gorsafoedd nad ydynt wedi’u cynnwys, yn unol â’n buddsoddiad uniongyrchol ein hunain. Mae hyn oherwydd methiant Llywodraeth y DU i ddarparu’r buddsoddiad y maent yn gyfrifol amdano.
“Mae gorsafoedd sydd â chefnogaeth gref yn y gymuned ar gyfer gwaith uwchraddio heb risiau wedi’u heithrio o’r cyllid. Yn anffodus, mae hon yn enghraifft arall lle mae teithwyr yn teimlo effaith diffyg buddsoddiad parhaus Llywodraeth y DU yn rheilffyrdd Cymru.”
“Yn y cyfamser, rwy’n falch y bydd y gwaith yn mynd yn ei flaen yn y pedair gorsaf lwyddiannus.”
Rest in peace David Rochelle, you kind and beautiful soul. Thank you for everything you did for Railcam, for always making me feel welcome in chat and all of your kind words and conversations over the years. I’ll miss you.
Hey everyone, how are you all?
Just thought I’d share some photos from last Saturday (22.02.20) when I visited the annual Model Rail Scotland show at the SECC in Glasgow. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get there as early the other attendees from Railcam so I never really got to see them all much or go to lunch with everybody. Maybe next time eh.
Still, I enjoyed the show immensely. There wasn’t, dare I say it, any massively spectacular layouts this year…by that I mean the likes of the Forth Bridge, Liverpool Lime Street and Burntisland ones from a couple of years ago. Now that is going to sound a little disrespectful to those that were there this year, but if you know me…I don’t like to speak ill of anything, so I will immediately say that the layouts this year were fantastic. A great variety as always, from the smallest and compact (in size and gauge)….
Just how damn smart is that!! Love the name too.
To the largest and grandest and ultra detailed….
And alongside the guitar layout, this next one is one of my favourites….
It’s one of the things I love about modelling and model railways, you can keep things simple if you like, make things from scratch out of any materials and have it all as basic as you like, or make kits…or be as ultra detailed, realistic, massive,…but at the end of the day it’s a model railway and a part of you (see below for that point in a little emphasis ). You invest so much in them because it’s something you love and there’s nothing better than that. Whether it’s a reproduction of a particular place, or based on, or a fictional setting, it’s your little part of the world.
These three photos are of the splendid ‘Spirit of Shap’ layout. It kind of incorporates everything in to one. It is both simple but detailed, and also one the very few non-sound exhibits around these days (in my uneducated opinion! I’m not an exhibition expert, so don’t shoot me). To keep viewers interested and entertained in such a layout these days requires variety, and some of these guys certainly have that….
A pretty pennies’ worth of stock there!
Of course it’s not just all about the layouts. This show features many trade stands, again from the ‘smallest’ to the ‘biggest’ of companies. This side of the show is just as fascinating to me. It shows just how much can go in to this hobby of hours. Next time I will make a point of photographing this side of a show because it’s the unmentioned aspect unless you’re planning to buy anything. Everything from fishplates to locos costing several hundred pounds, it really is something to behold, especially as ultra realism seems to be a big thing these days, the amount of products on offer is staggering.
I went around the hall 2 and a half times on Saturday. The last one to take some photos with the camera, but the others to allow myself the time to enjoy it all. It might just be me, but I like to spend a lot of time at each exhibit for two reasons….one is to take everything in about each layout and enjoy them, and two is to give the guys who create these works of art the time and respect they deserve. To let them know that their work is worth more than a glance and walk past. That their ideas are/were interesting and implemented brilliantly. And I can hand on heart say that I make a point of saying thank you to at least one member of the team or the person who has built their layout.
And that’s it really. Just thought I’d share some of my experience at this years’ show. Am I allowed to say that I enjoyed the journey in the vintage bus to the station? haha! I shall leave you with one or two personal shots from the trip…just because it’s trains!!
Thank you as always for your time, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it! It means so much to this wee eejit. Take care everyone!
