HS2 should "not be at the expense of rail electrification," says Vince Cable

The new leader of the Liberal Democrats has said that HS2 should not come "at the expense of good regional investment," suggesting that rail electrification for Wales should be a bigger priority.

Vince Cable, in an interview with Wales Online, was reported as saying that the 2012 confirmation of electrification of the rail line to Swansea was an achievement of the Lib Dems in Government, and said that the current Conservative administration was wrong to "squeeze out big investments that are crucial to the connectivity of Britain and ending the relative isolation of key parts of it like South Wales".

He said that, given the South West of England and South Wales are "particularly badly connected," those regions "should have priority".

In an article published on the same day in The Yorkshire Post, however, Cable called on the Government to "get on with the Northern leg of HS2," as well as backing HS3 so that "there is good connectivity from east to west across South Yorkshire and Lancashire, potentially building a conurbation to rival London"> He said that while the advocates for prioritising London infrastructure were "well organised... the 'Northern Powerhouse' needs to get its act together."