Carl Sergeant replaced as WG Transport Minister

[jones_bangor]

Link:
See BBC website

Welsh government reshuffle

Wales' First Minister Carwyn Jones has appointed a new health minister in a reshuffle of his Labour cabinet.

Mark Drakeford replaces Lesley Griffiths as the Welsh government's health minister, it was announced on Thursday.

In turn she takes over as local government minister from Carl Sargeant.

Huw Lewis becomes the minister for communities and tackling poverty. His old role as housing and regeneration minister goes to Mr Sargeant.

Mr Jones said: "Jobs and growing the Welsh economy remain our number one priority, but we will also work tirelessly to improve the delivery of our public services.

"My commitment to do everything we can to stand up for the people of Wales, particularly in these challenging times, remains firm."

(read more)

 

[anthony263]

I don't really know what to say about our new welsh transport minister.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

As regards the Transport portfolio, how did members of this forum view Carl Sargeant when he was in post ?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Lesley Griffiths is AM for Wrexham, so the local representation is little changed.
Carl Sargeant (AM for Alyn & Deeside) had a wide brief including Social Justice and Local Government, with Transport being mentioned only as an afterthought.
It looks like Lesley has taken over the same portfolio.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesley_Griffiths
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sargeant

Probably the most important rail-stategic job in Wales at the moment is that held by David Jones, Clwyd West MP and Welsh Secretary at Westminster.
With the DfT and WG, he will be leading on major rail matters like electrification, the next franchise and devolution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jones_(MP_for_Clwyd_West)

This is the WG announcement. http://new.wales.gov.uk/newsroom/fi...onid=6761A2CF268E5C56BEE0638D60152615?lang=en
I doesn't specifically mention transport at all, so you can see what a low profile it has.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

I don't really know what to say about our new welsh transport minister.

Except that the Transport Portfolio appears to have been transferred to Edwina Hart.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Except that the Transport Portfolio appears to have been transferred to Edwina Hart.

She is the AM for Gower, so the North-East Wales link to the Transport portfolio will have been lost and relocated to the South Wales area.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

She is the AM for Gower, so the North-East Wales link to the Transport portfolio will have been lost and relocated to the South Wales area.

I'm not quite sure that her personal location is important, as a Minister, she represents the whole of Wales. The only thing Carl Sergeant is likely to be remembered for is spending mega bucks on the Heads of The Valleys Road, which is about as far away from his own North East Wales patch as it is possible to get.

And don't forget that it was under the stewardship of the Member for Ynys Mon that The Ebbw Vale Line and Fishguard and Goodwick were re-opened.

 

[jones_bangor]

I don't think that the Mr Sergeant really got rail - I was personally disappointed of his re-jigging of the North - Wales South Wales Express which seemed to underline a misunderstanding of usage patterns. It seemed to be road was his absolute priority...

Interestingly, I was hearing rumours that the Gaerwen - Llangefni reopening is still alive, but how alive is debatable....

It does seem that Transport is now under Edwina Hart.

 

[merlodlliw]

We in the North East have to thank Carl Sgt for the confirmation of the redoubling,As for local Minister Lesley Griffiths, I am sure Carwyn Jones would have sacked her out of WG for the Chaos in North Wales NHS under her stewardship. she was too weak to carry on in health, but face saving lets her stay as Minister.

I am afraid Edwina Heart will cull most WG rail expenditure after Wrexham redouble, she is very tough, with little time for listening, Time will tell.


Bob

 

[anthony263]

We in the North East have to thank Carl Sgt for the confirmation of the redoubling,As for local Minister Lesley Griffiths, I am sure Carwyn Jones would have sacked her out of WG for the Chaos in North Wales NHS under for stewardship. she was too weak to carry on in health, but face saving lets her stay as Minister.

I am afraid Edwina Heart will cull most WG rail expenditure after Wrexham redouble, she is very tough, with little time for listening, Time will tell.


Bob

I agree this is a concern I have especially since I would like to see what the wg plan to do about getting the Ebbw Vale branch extended to Ebbw Vale town ready for when electrification arrives.

A timetable I have come up for a half hourly service on the Ebbw Vale branch has the trains passing each other at Crosskeys so some money might be able to be saved by not extended the double track section north of crosskeys if possible although that might be problematic is there is any disruption.

 

[tbtc]

I agree this is a concern I have especially since I would like to see what the wg plan to do about getting the Ebbw Vale branch extended to Ebbw Vale town ready for when electrification arrives

This is a problem on some lines - if they don't get the redoubling/ extensions/ junctions (etc) sorted out when being electrified then they may well be stuck with problems for a long time (since the cost of tweaking the layout at a later date will increase due to it now being electrified).

Hopefully we'll see some planning of routes at pinch points like Cardiff Queen Street when detailed electrification plans are being progressed.

 

[merlodlliw]

I'm not quite sure that her personal location is important, as a Minister, she represents the whole of Wales. The only thing Carl Sergeant is likely to be remembered for is spending mega bucks on the Heads of The Valleys Road, which is about as far away from his own North East Wales patch as it is possible to get.

And don't forget that it was under the stewardship of the Member for Ynys Mon that The Ebbw Vale Line and Fishguard and Goodwick were re-opened.

The Heads Of The Valleys road improvement took priority with All Transport Portfolio Ministers, IWJ spent a similar amount, locally with Rail however Carl Sgt although he represented All Wales, he was aware of where his constituents traveled (East/West)) and was not-an easy walkover for ATW.
The new Minister is tough, but lacks knowledge of Rail patterns in North East Wales & will have to be reminded its Wales & BORDERS , however having seen her operate in other areas, I don't see Ebbw getting its station now.

I agree IWJ had been Transport Minister for a year when the Ebbw line reopened, but it was the previous Deputy Minister Mike German who managed to draw down the Euro £millions as Ebbw was then an objective one area.
Fishguard funding was I agree IWJ. But will Edwina Heart continue to support it, it was only a three year experiment & the funds run out next year.

Will be interested to read Mrs Hearts portfolio & find out where Rail stands,in the previous Ministers portfolio rail came 39 out of 42.

 

[tbtc]

Fishguard funding was I agree IWJ. But will Edwina Heart continue to support it, it was only a three year experiment & the funds run out next year.

You've reminded me how quickly three years pass!

Has anyone any feeling for whether the Fishguard improvements have created sufficient passenger numbers to justify retaining the current level of service longer term?

 

[merlodlliw]

You've reminded me how quickly three years pass!

Has anyone any feeling for whether the Fishguard improvements have created sufficient passenger numbers to justify retaining the current level of service longer term?

Yes September 2014 is time up, I was surprised that WG pumps £1.4M a year into the service, I somehow thought it was £1.4M over three years, that's about the same Subsidy as Gerald gets a year for his once a day round trip(Mon/Fri).
But do I really see, Fishwick station on the chopping block,well its all about pax,I too would be interested in the numbers attracted.ATW have stated they wont fund the service, nore dio they have to.
http://wales.gov.uk/newsroom/transport/2011/110912fishguard/?lang=en note the quote “It is now essential to ensure that these services are used regularly "

 

[Gareth Marston]

In many ways everything is set in stone transport wise for the remainder of the current WG term to 2016 as priorities have already been made and funds earmarked.

Big Issue Number One is whose budget does the money to buy Cardiff Airport come out of? If transport has to take the hit it could well impact severely on other schemes that haven't started yet. Having a new Minister who is not up to speed on transport matters as shes new to the portfolio may be a disadvantage as she'll have no ownership toward any particular scheme.

Capital Spend
I think redoubling Saltney Jnc to Rosset will be fairly safe as taking transport portfolio off CS and then cancelling scheme would cause too much controversy.
Loughor bridge is well under way- and next to new Ministers constituency, there's NR posters all over Cardiff and Valleys about the planned works and contractors are well advanced with building new through platform at Queen St.
Heads of Valleys road is something of a scared cow and Labour want to target one of the Pembrokeshire seats next election where a bypass on A477 is scheduled to be built. Which leaves only the Newtown bypass to be cancelled! I doubt Edwina Hart will have any baggage with her about trying to drive through Newtown so could well sacrifice this if push came to shove.
Having said that there could be change out of bypass minus airport for other schemes. Bypass was £80 million and climbing at last estimate. It could mean some good news for a smaller rail scheme.

Revenue

The reasons given by the ex Minister for delay in implementing Cambrian hourly will soon be gone when the AOCL at Forden is abolished so this could be pushed up agenda with her. As for ERTMS - the Cambrian is getting visitors from Thameslink looking at how its settled in.

 

[merlodlliw]

The redoubling at Wrexham is safe,Lesley Griffiths seat & a Still strangely a Minister with Carl Sgt at the other end also remaining a Minister.
All hell would break out if the money was stolen, big players are in favour of the redouble.
1.ATW/Mainline?
2.Network Rail
3.All Political shades (AMs/MPs/Sec of State for Wales)
4. All County Councils which make up North Wales rail travel quango
5.Rail Users Groups
Work starts in seven months,if the the redouble was culled,all other associated budget money would have to stop such as line speed Salop to Gobowen etc etc.
plus its election year in Wales 2015 when the redouble is up & working for "Look what I have done"
I agree with Gareth.

Bob

 

[Gareth Marston]

The redoubling at Wrexham is safe,Lesley Griffiths seat & a Still strangely a Minister with Carl Sgt at the other end also remaining a Minister.
All hell would break out if the money was stolen, big players are in favour of the redouble.
1.ATW/Mainline?
2.Network Rail
3.All Political shades (AMs/MPs/Sec of State for Wales)
4. All County Councils which make up North Wales rail travel quango
5.Rail Users Groups
Work starts in seven months,if the the redouble was culled,all other associated budget money would have to stop such as line speed Salop to Gobowen etc etc.
plus its election year in Wales 2015 when the redouble is up & working for "Look what I have done"
I agree with Gareth.

Bob

The latest I've heard on Cardiff Airport purchase is that "due diligence" is being done. The Spanish bought it for £30 million I believe so they'll be looking to get as much as that back as possible though theirs been no mention of any agreed sum so far. Its not rocket science that this money will have to come from somewhere and nowhere in WG has that sort of sum sitting around spare since austerity it will impact somewhere.

 

[jones_bangor]

The latest I've heard on Cardiff Airport purchase is that "due diligence" is being done. The Spanish bought it for £30 million I believe so they'll be looking to get as much as that back as possible though theirs been no mention of any agreed sum so far. Its not rocket science that this money will have to come from somewhere and nowhere in WG has that sort of sum sitting around spare since austerity it will impact somewhere.

I would think the redoubling will be OK. There may be additional capital infrastructure money as a result of the budget....

Cardiff Airport is a black hole,big time.

 

[merlodlliw]

I would think the redoubling will be OK. There may be additional capital infrastructure money as a result of the budget....

Cardiff Airport is a black hole,big time.

Agree,Cardiff Airport may be an aspiration, but currently no one with any business acumen would touch it, very few in South Wales use it or would miss it.
I also agree with Gareth where would the money be taken from,as there is nothing sitting around in reserves? or in the budget.
Then you have to pay to run it, so where would this come from.
Its not like All Wales would be served from Cardiff airport,With Bristol/Birm/Man & Liverpool the big players for Welsh Pax