Westminster short-changing Wales by £4bn say Plaid Cymru

Westminster is shortchanging Wales by £4bn from the HS2 project Plaid Cymru have said.

The party pledged to fight for the funding Wales is owed.

High speed rail project HS2 has been designated an ‘England and Wales project’ despite not an inch of track being in Wales.

Plaid Cymru’s candidate for Ynys Mon in the general election Llinos Medi argued that Wales should receive its fair share of Barnett consequentials – estimated at around £4bn – if the project were designated as ‘England only’.

Plaid Cymru candidate for Ynys Môn, Llinos Medi, said:

“For Wales, HS2 is a scandal. A scandal that shows just how much Westminster disregards the needs and voice of Wales.

“Not an inch of HS2 track will be in Wales and yet Welsh taxpayers are having to pay for it. This is unjust and unfair.

“If the project were to be reclassified as an England-only project, as Plaid Cymru has been campaigning for, Wales would get £4bn in consequential funding. But neither Labour nor the Tories have pledged to put this right.

“These are billions of pounds that could be used to connect our communities, north to south, and restore Labour imposed cuts to bus services.

“Only Plaid Cymru has the ambition to deliver a Welsh transport system that our communities deserve. We are the only party that is demanding the billions we deserve in rail funds and the full transfer of power over our railways to put this right once and for all.

“And only by voting for Plaid Cymru on 4 July will Wales get a strong group of MPs who will shout for Wales in Westminster and demand the fairness our communities deserve.