“Faster progress” on Wrexham Gateway as Anglesey – Cardiff subsidised flights are scrapped

Welsh Government have indicated some cash that is freed up by stopping subsidised air flights will end up in Wrexham.

Ministers say they have decided to use the funding earmarked for the Anglesey – Cardiff air link to “accelerate work on north-south connectivity within the North Wales Metro programme, including faster progress on the Holyhead Masterplan, Bangor Gateway and Wrexham Gateway, alongside work towards new station development at Broughton and Greenfields”.

Welsh Government currently commit up to c£2.93m per Financial Year in support of the Ynys Mon – Cardiff Public Service Obligation (PSO) air service.

Welsh Government say, “Following a full cost-benefit analysis of the future of the air service, we have made a decision to cease all support for the service.”

“Passenger demand is not estimated to recover to pre-Covid levels until 2024/2025 and it will not match the potential demand that would have happened by 2025 if Covid had not occurred. Future demand for air travel continues to remain very uncertain.”

Further detail was given in a long statement that noted, “The decision follows the outcome of an independent study commissioned by the Welsh Government into the carbon impact of the service on the environment. The study showed the service had a more negative impact on the environment than any other form of travel between Ynys Mon and Cardiff, unless it was flying close to full capacity every day, which, given the significant reduction in business travel since the pandemic, would be very highly unlikely. Even if every flight was full, the carbon impact of the service would be significantly worse than the rail alternative.”

“The analysis also showed that despite common perceptions, the air service was not always the fastest link to Cardiff from north Wales, especially east of Bangor, where rail travel is actually faster, door-to-door. The Welsh Government’s investment in new rail carriages, with Wi-Fi, comfortable workspaces and on-board catering, means that the Holyhead-Cardiff rail service now offers a much more attractive proposition for those who still need to travel on business between the north and the south.”

Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change said, “This decision follows the news yesterday that despite Wales being on track with our immediate climate targets, there is still much more that needs to be done. We need to achieve greater reductions in our emissions in the next decade than we’ve achieved over the course of the last three decades if we are to avert catastrophic climate change. It’s going to an uphill challenge and difficult choices will need to be confronted.”