A FAIR SHARE FOR WALES

Plaid Cymru's Jonathan Edwards MP has launched a campaign to secure a fair share for Wales from spending on the England-only High Speed Rail (HS2) project. Welsh taxpayers should not be forced to fund an England-only project and that Wales is entitled to a sum of around £2 -4 billon pounds of the HS2 expenditure. The HS2 project runs the risk of dominating infrastructure investment for at least a generation and that there will be little money left to spend on other projects, despite the Welsh transport network being in dire need of investment.

To sign the petition, click here: http://www.getwalesontrack.org/

Plaid Cymru has fought for four years fought for a fair share for Wales from spending on the England-only HS2 project. The HS2 project is estimated to cost £ 50 - 80 billion pounds, improving rail links between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds with little benefit to Wales. The Westminster Government has branded this an UK-wide scheme despite the fact that it sits entirely in England. Wales is home to 5% of the UK population, so we should receive £2-4bn for our fair share.

Our fair share could revolutionise our transport system and deliver much-needed projects such as the electrification of the North Wales Main Line, the Valleys Lines, a South Wales Metro, and countless road projects up and down Wales. Plaid Cymru is the party for all of Wales. Unlike the Labour Welsh Government who have taken the reckless decision to spend nearly £1bn on a 9 mile stretch of the M4, Plaid recognises that roads and railways in all corners of our nation are in need of investment.

Independent research shows that HS2 will have a devastating impact on the South Wales economy, Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs from Wales have voted in favour of this project. This is unacceptable; we need to send the so-called Westminster elite a message. Wales is not longer prepared to settle for crumbs from the Westminster table. 

The financial decisions on HS2 will be made in the next Comprehensive Spending Review, which will take place in the early years of the next Westminster Parliament. The run-up to the General Election is the only opportunity the people of Wales have to ensure that those allegedly elected to serve our communities after next May will not support public spending on HS2 unless our nation receives a fair share.