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A rail union says it is time for the Welsh Government to take control of services - creating 'Welsh Rail' to run trains.

They spoke out after four bidders were selected to progress to the next stage in the procurement process to operate rail services in Wales and the Borders from October 2018 as well take forward key aspects of the North Wales Metro vision.

Despite the Welsh Government’s ambition to deliver a new not for profit rail model the RMT union says that the corporations will take money out of the country.

The confirmed bidders are, Abellio Rail Cymru, Arriva Rail Wales/Rheilffyrdd Arriva Cymru Limited, KeolisAmey and MTR Corporation (Cymru) Ltd.

The RMT said that it was a missed opportunity for the Welsh Government to take control of running train services, bringing back a British Rail style operation for Wales.

Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said: "RMT believes that the Welsh Government will argue that they are taking this action because they don't have the power to run rail services in the public sector.

"That is an appalling situation which makes a nonsense of the whole policy of devolved government.

"RMT is also deeply concerned that the Welsh Government will use this process to allow the successful bidder to lever themselves into both train operations and infrastructure on the Metro section – raising the whole issue of vertical integration under a private company.

"RMT is meeting the Welsh Government shortly to discuss their rail policy and the union will be calling on them to demand the power to run services in the public sector particularly as the Brexit vote will free us from the shackles of EU rail diktat.

"We will also be demanding that the publicly-owned Network Rail are not privatised by the back door piece by piece.

"All these‎ bids will mean that the foreign owned railways will be making profit out of Welsh services whilst the Welsh public sector is not even being allowed to bid – that is a ludicrous situation that we should be uniting to fight."

In response, Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: “Our plan is to develop a pioneering new way of delivering a modern, public facing transport system fit for twenty first century Wales.

"Our model, one of the most innovative anywhere in the UK, will see Transport for Wales, a wholly owned, not-for-profit company, play a central role, first in designing and letting the next rail service contract and Metro and then in overseeing the management and join up of services including items such as marketing and integrated ticketing.

“We too have lobbied the UK Government for the greater devolution of transport powers and whilst they have continued to oppose this, our new model for Wales has the flexibility to adapt to greater powers should they be forthcoming.

“We make no apologies for committing to deliver a transport system which prioritises service over profit, drives up standards and improves the passenger experience for individuals, communities and businesses across Wales.”

