Member of Parliament for Brecon and Radnorshire, Fay Jones is urging the Welsh Government to step up in her campaign to bring the Global Centre for Rail Excellence to Brecon and Radnorshire.
The project – which would be a joint collaboration between the Welsh and UK Governments - is a big campaign for Ms Jones who has been lobbying for it to come to the Nant Helen surface mine near Coelbren. It is currently in competition with another site in Yorkshire. If approved, it would put Coelbren on the world stage as a pioneering site in transport development.
Powys County Council is part of a joint venture with Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and the Welsh Government, to develop the site which straddles the local authority boundary. If given the go-ahead, the UK Government will invest £30 million in the project. The Welsh Government has promised £10 million.
The GCRE could provide a major economic boost to the Ystradgynlais area, and a use for the Nant Helen open cast site, once it stops extracting coal. It is expected that the site could create 100 permanent jobs in the area.
The Centre will be instrumental in driving productivity and efficiency throughout the UK rail sector. At the heart of the Centre is a testing complex comprising the physical infrastructure and digital data driven capability and connectivity that will be unique within the UK and Europe.
The site will include a 6.9 km and 110mph Rolling Stock Test Oval with overhead line electrification, tunnel for pressure testing, 4.5km High Tonnage Infrastructure Test loop, platform and station environment, storage and maintenance, research and development and educational facilities. The rail-testing tracks which allow trains to be tested at speeds of up to 100mph would help other developments such as the South Wales Metro.
In September, Fay met with Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Alok Sharma to press the case that the project should come to Wales. Continuing the campaign, Ms Jones met again with Mr Sharma’s junior minister, Nadhim Zahawi MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the department. Mr Zahawi confirmed that if the Welsh Government would make the money available and start initial work on the project, the UK Government would be minded to follow suit.
Speaking after the meeting, Ms Jones said:
“The Minister did not need reminding why Nant Helen near Coelbren is the right place for this project. The UK Government is fully supportive and wants to see the Welsh Government make the bold step and invest in Coelbren.
The Minister was clear - if the Welsh Government can get shovels in the ground on this, the UK Government will follow suit and back the Coelbren site.
There are so many reasons why this would be beneficial for constituents in and around the Ystradgynlais area. It would put Coelbren right at the heart of the green jobs revolution which is fundamental for our future.
The Minister was extremely positive about the bid and is working closely with the Welsh Government on this project. However, we need the Economy Secretary Ken Skates to give the project the green light and make the money available to get it going.
This would be game-changing for a part of the world which so deserves regeneration. All the Welsh Government needs to do is press go, and we can get this project up and running immediately.”