Swansea rail scheme 'top priority' but no delivery date

Coming not very soon to a station near you: the fast train to Swansea

When will the first train arrive on an electrified line in Swansea?

The Network Rail website (download the FAQs) says: "Cardiff to be electrified by May 2017, Swansea to be electrified by May 2018".

No-one in government is putting a date on it. Plaid Cymru's parliamentary leader, Jonathan Edwards, asked the prime minister on Wednesday to confirm it would be delivered by 2018.

Mr Edwards asked: Can you inform the house and the people of Wales whether it continues to be the policy of your government to complete to Swansea by 2018 and part-fund the Valley lines?"

The prime minister, reading from a brief, replied: "We're absolutely committed to electrifying the Great Western Main Line to Cardiff, through to Swansea. We're also contributing £125m to the cost of the wider Valley lines electrification. It's vital that this work goes ahead. We do need to make sure that Network Rail gets its costs under control and has strong leadership in place and we'll make sure those things happen."

No dates there. Mr Edwards tried again today with Transport Minister Patrick McLoughlin. He got this response: "What I can say for the people of Swansea and for your constituents is that they do get the benefit straight away, I think it's 2018, I'll clarify exactly with you in a letter of the new IEP trains which will be able to run, and yes, electrification to Swansea - all the way - is part of a programme which I have said is a top priority."

No dates there either. The Wales Office issued a brief statement from its Minister Alun Cairns: "I'm pleased to hear the strong commitment to South Wales electrification through to Swansea from the Transport Secretary today. This project will transform the lives of people in South Wales by attracting investors, linking businesses to suppliers and connecting people to jobs."

No dates there. Will it be delivered by 2018? It was suggested I contact the Department for Transport, which is clearly furious with Network Rail's performance.

Mr McLoughlin told MPs:"On the 216 miles of the Great Western line alone, Network Rail needs to alter around 170 bridges, lower parts of the trackbed, and install 14,000 masts of overhead line equipment, electrifying parts of the railway constructed by Brunel in the 1830s so that the new British-built fast train can speed up services, provide more seats and services."

A Sunday Times report suggested on June 21 that the line may not be ready in time to take delivery of the new trains.

The good news - if you live in Swansea or want to get there - is that the Great Western line is now a top priority, at the expense of similar projects in England.

Any further significant delay could come with the silver lining that I may be able to use my senior railcard for the first journey.