Train wreck: How an uncaring Westminster and incompetent Welsh Government blew 3.5 million of taxpayers' money

for once, this blog hit's the nail on the head. Not only did Westminster mess up, but Cardiff Bay/Cathays Park didn't notice. Sadly of course this being the summer - this story has been around for almost a month now: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-40671902 And yet radio silence from Adam Price? Is he not meant to be Plaid's Transport Spokesperson? Today he's called for a dedicated transport minister in the WG - makes perfect sense, although horrendous ironic given the fact that he and Dr Dai Lloyd split transport and infrastructure for the party. Over the last ten years Wales has had four ministers in charge of transport - only two of which have had the word transport in their job title - surly that shows how much the Welsh Government prioritises transport. Whilst that is regrettable, take a flick through www.yoursenedd.com and look up the number of times that Plaid have chosen to highlight rail (or any transport issues) in the Senedd over the last 12 months and it's depressing.

An excellent article illuminating once more what we already know about the UK government and Welsh Labour indolence. But (there's always a but) it also shows us the relative ineffectiveness of Plaid Cymru. In spite of knowing all this and the efforts of the esteemed Mr.Edwards MP at the highest level still nothing has been resolved with trains or anything else for that matter. Also, it should have been immediately obvious that there was no way that Westminster would 'devolve' a major transnational asset like the rail network citing security or any other grounds they can dream up. If we are to win any battles on the road to independence then the battlegrounds should be chosen with the likelihood of winning not getting bogged down in the mud of civil service and ministerial incompetence. It is also a clear signal that following Brexit and the 'repatriation' of powers to Westminster the likelihood of any 'further devolution' of anything is diminishing rapidly.

"Apathy and insolence"; almost a quote from Gwyn Thomas' 1962 play, The Keep. It's the story of a dysfunctional Welsh family, driven to desperation and eventual dissolution by Con, the son who's little on common sense but big on political ambition. Con is "a pain in the neck, and if your neck doesn't feel it yet, be sure that Con will be getting in touch with you." Ring any bells down the Bay?

Excellent article. Shame about the apostrophe. Or is there just one big taxpayer funding this?

But never mind, the 'Welsh' Government will have responsibility for the lines around Cardiff, and really that's all that matters. There's devolution summed up.

The piece from ............."It’s undoubtedly more a case of cock-up rather than conspiracy," ........right through to ........................".Westminster doesn’t care about Wales and lethargic Labour passively watches our managed decline.... The examples are endless, but the effects are tangible" sums up our predicament which has existed from almost day 1 and has accumulated over 18 years or so. The "listless and languid approach" is the norm in the Bay also unless there's a photo opportunity or a trip abroad, and that insolence and laziness is their typical pose nowadays. I'll say no more about the army of civil servants as that is already a matter of ongoing debate. Some of us may have watched examples of good handovers over the weekend when 4 different Brit athletics relay squads gave exemplary displays of how to transfer a baton. Bit simplistic perhaps but It is evident that Whitehall/ Westminster and Cardiff Bay are not in the same lane and don't know which hand is doing what ! Result - cock up guaranteed.

There has been is a failure to understand the technological and administrative complexity of implementing the WGs ambitious plans for the South Wales Metro and to anticipate the problems thrown up by the transfer of responsibility for the Wales and Borders franchise and possibly some of Network Rails infrastructural responsibilities to the WG and Transport for Wales. Delays and cost hikes or a scaling back of ambitions are the inevitable consequences. There is a wider problem here, inherent in Welsh devolution from its start: the transfer of problems for which London has no political will to solve, to politicians in Cardiff who are too eager to demand transfer of powers without fully assessing and assuring sufficient resources and financial support are available. In accepting this transfer of responsibility, Welsh politicians (or even devolution itself) get the blame for subsequent and often inevitable failure to meet expectations; failures which are actually the consequence of a long history of disinterest and underinvestment by London. Such it is with the railways