October 22, 2026 - 172 views
The Welsh Government has renewed its call for greater control over railway decisions in Wales as major engineering works on the North Wales Main Line prepare to disrupt services for four weeks in January.
The planned closure, which will affect passengers travelling along the coast and through the Conwy Valley, has highlighted concerns in Cardiff about how decisions affecting Wales’s railway network are made, and the extent to which Welsh Ministers can influence major projects.
Deputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper MS acknowledged that the disruption would affect passengers, businesses and communities across North Wales. But he also questioned the current arrangements, arguing that decisions as significant as closing a major railway route should involve Welsh Ministers directly.
“The key principle behind our ask for full rail devolution is for decisions about the railway in Wales to be taken in Wales, with all key partners involved in the decision-making process, rather than treated as stakeholders to be informed,” he said.
The North Wales Main Line is owned and operated by Network Rail, which is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure. The company says the engineering work is necessary to protect the railway’s long-term safety, reliability and resilience, and that closing the line for most of the programme is the most efficient and least disruptive way to complete it.
The £25 million-plus programme will run from 9 January to 6 February 2027. For the first three weeks, the railway will close between Chester and Holyhead, including the Conwy Valley line and the branch between Llandudno Junction and Llandudno. During the fourth week, the closure will be reduced to the section between Llandudno Junction and Holyhead.
Passengers travelling to and from stations including Prestatyn, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay, Llandudno, Conwy, Bangor and Holyhead will be affected. Replacement buses are planned throughout the closure, with Transport for Wales, Avanti West Coast and Network Rail working together on a mix of quicker, limited-stop services and buses calling at all stations.
The engineering programme includes track renewals, drainage improvements, station and platform work, vegetation management and the installation of two new footbridges. Work is also planned at locations including the Conwy Tubular Bridge, Bodorgan Tunnel on Anglesey and Penmaenbach.
Network Rail says completing the work in one concentrated period will help avoid the need for repeated closures and support a safer, more reliable railway in the longer term.
Mr Hooper recognised that the programme represented a significant investment in North Wales, but said he expected Network Rail to minimise disruption and keep passengers and businesses informed.
The Welsh Government’s position reflects a wider debate over the division of responsibility for railways in Wales. While many transport services and funding decisions fall within devolved arrangements, Network Rail remains responsible for the rail infrastructure, and major decisions can involve several organisations and funding bodies.
For the Welsh Government, the issue is not simply whether the engineering work is necessary, but whether decisions with such a direct impact on Welsh communities should be made with greater Welsh involvement from the outset.
The closure is likely to create difficulties for commuters, visitors and businesses during January, particularly for people travelling between North Wales and Chester or using the Conwy Valley route. Passengers are being advised to allow extra time, with detailed replacement-service information expected through journey planners in late October and early November.
The investment should bring long-term improvements to the railway, but the immediate disruption has sharpened the Welsh Government’s argument that Wales should have a stronger voice in decisions affecting its rail network.
