People in Wales have reacted furiously to the decision of the UK Government to class a railway scheme based in the north of England as an England and Wales project.
Last week WalesOnline revealed that the UK Government had classed Northern Powerhouse Rail as an "England and Wales" project. Despite a significant proportion of the rail budget for England and Wales being set to go on the rail enhancements on both sides of the Pennines in the coming years, Wales will not get any extra money as a result.
As rail is devolved in Scotland and Norther Ireland those countries will receive a cut of money spent in England automatically. However rail infrastructure spending is not devolved to Wales meaning there will not be any extra spending here. There has been one instance in the past where the distorting effect of a major England-only rail infrastructure project in London, Crossrail, was recognised by giving Wales extra funds. However there will be no funding as a consequence of the project in the north of England.
