ࡱ> MOLG 9bjbjَ "9 ]ttttttt :$%tE@%tt{Rtttttttt k+K"  Media Release  TIME \@ "dd MMMM yyyy" 02 October 2001 For immediate release For further information, please contact:- John Rogers 01656 840111 (Yn Gymraeg hefyd) Peter Clark 01873 858671  Red light for Rail Schemes Every scheme submitted for improving rail transport in Wales by means of Objective 1 funding has been turned down. The South Wales branch of the Railway Development Society declared that it was shocked and astonished at the news. Committee spokesman John Rogers said that when he contacted the European Funding Office for news of progress concerning the bids submitted, he was told that not only was Objective 1 funding not currently being used to improve Welsh railways but that the only two detailed bids had been rejected. Mr Rogers said that the Welsh European Funding Office told him that both the Welsh Highland Railway Phase 3 and the Conway Valley Rail Initiative had been rejected as having no economic benefit to businesses and no outputs. He said, So far, no rail scheme has been carried out as a result of Objective 1 funds and nothing was being implemented at the moment. This was despite at least one train operating company having made huge efforts to get schemes approved even for submission. Mr Rogers has written to Sue Essex, the Assembly Cabinet member responsible for transport, to ask for an explanation. The Railway Development Society in Wales wants to know why the schemes had been turned down and why no one in the Assembly had taken the initiative to pour Objective 1 money into modernising what he called our largely Victorian railway infrastructure. He added, This is a sad contrast with Ireland which transformed the rail situation with new rolling stock, modern signalling and track improvements. He went on: Why, for example, is Objective 1 not improving the lamentable service west of Cardiff, especially beyond Swansea? Or doubling the single-line stretches of the Valley lines? Or speeding up the arrival of passenger services to Ebbw Vale? It is no good the Assembly just wringing its hands and expecting fragmented local government or rail operating companies to take the initiative. We have a Minister responsible for public transport and she should act quickly to remedy the situation.  Notes for editors: The Railway Development Society (now known in England as RailFuture) is a national, voluntary organisation covering Wales, England and Scotland. For economic, environmental and social reasons, the Railway Development Society believes that rail should play an important part in a comprehensive transport system for this country. The society lobbies for greater investment in rail and for measures that would bring passengers and freight back onto the railway. As A voice for rail users, the society also fights to protect existing services from deterioration, wherever possible, arguing for enhancements to the rail service rather than cuts. There are seventeen branches, covering the country and lobbying for local issues. For more information about RDS South Wales, please contact Peter Clark at 84 North Street, Abergavenny, NP7 7ED. ,-<=> , 6 96 jUmH556CJmH 56CJj56CJUCJ jU>TUV-WX $>TUV-WX v9R       pq    v9 & F &P . 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