Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will work with the Welsh Government on a multimodal review of the North Wales transport corridor to develop improvements of (a) the North Wales Main Line, (b) connectivity with HS2, (c) electrification), (d) the A55, (e) the M53, (f) the M56, and (g) travel to and from the island of Ireland.

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill’s independent Union Connectivity Review recognised the importance of transport connectivity right across our United Kingdom recommended that a multimodal review of the North Wales transport corridor be undertaken.

It is the UK Government’s clear view that we should work towards improving transport via all modes in order to ensure that opportunity is available to all in every part of our United Kingdom. This includes via road, which in addition to private car and motorcycle, also carry the overwhelming majority of freight and over three-quarters of public transport users, especially from lower-income and elderly groups by bus and younger people via long-distance coach travel.

Following the Union Connectivity Review, the Welsh Government subsequently announced the establishment of the North Wales Transport Commission, led by Lord Burns, to assess the transport system in North Wales.

We will consider any recommendations that Commission makes and to the Union Connectivity Review in due course but it’s clear from the UK Government’s recent announced investment in Holyhead in Ynys Mon that the UK Government understand the value and importance of the North Wales Traffic Corridor across all modes of transport.