Another WLG Grand Plan set to fail?

 You can expect opposition members  in the assembly to be somewhat cynical over the Welsh Labour Governments (WLG) much trumpeted plans for a South wales Metro. but it seems even their own AM are having doubts with a Labour AM claiming that the  South Wales (actually South East Wales) Metro has turned into the Loch Ness Monster,  claiming "nobody knows whether it actually exists or not".

Mick Antoniw said Welsh ministers needed to show "far greater openness" about plans for the transport network.

According to the BBC

Maps appear to show that upgrades for some railway lines have been ruled out.
Ministers said nothing had been cancelled and it was too early to reveal exact details before the Metro contract is awarded in May.

The Pontypridd AM - an early supporter of the project - told BBC Wales: 

"For me the Metro has begun to become a bit like the Loch Ness Monster.
"Everybody knows what the Loch Ness Monster is, but not many people have seen it and nobody knows whether it actually exists or not."

Negotiations are continuing with two private sector bidders - MTR and KeolisAmey - who are competing for the Wales and Borders rail franchise which includes the Metro, due to start in October.
While talks continue, however, a series of maps has emerged that appear to reject proposed enhancements, including some that Mr Antoniw has called for.

For example, a new connection to create a so-called Valleys Circle Line has been shaded red, meaning "discontinued from future consideration at present". Other proposals in his Pontypridd constituency are in doubt.

"What is unclear to me now is what the Metro actually is," Mr Antoniw said.

"Is it going ahead? What format? What is the timescale for it?

"What is it going to amount to? What about these new lines, these key projects?"

Accusing the government of a lack of clarity, including over the funding to pay for it, he added:

"I think we are entitled to know precisely what the Metro plan is and there needs to be far greater openness on this issue."

Mr Antoniw also claimed the "spiralling" cost for the planned M4 relief road was "becoming a black hole sucking in all the available capital that would go to the Metro".

"If all we're doing is enhancing the existing structure, well that quite frankly is not a Metro and it is not good enough," he said.
Welsh Government officials said the maps - uploaded to the website of arms-length body Transport for Wales - are not definitive.

On Wednesday  Plaid Cymru AM Adam Price accused ministers dropping plans to electrify some south Wales valley railway lines in favour of a "bullet train for the Bay". after seeing maps outlining proposals for the South Wales Metro.

In the Senedd on Wednesday, Mr Price - Plaid's economy spokesman - accused Welsh Labour of failing to live up to promises about electrifying lines in the valleys.
He pointed to other proposals coloured red on the maps that had been "ruled out" such as electrification of the Maesteg to Bridgend line, an extension from Merthyr to Dowlais Top, and a plan to connect the Merthyr and Rhymney Valleys lines.
Mr Price likened the situation to the UK government's cancellation of plans to electrify the south Wales mainline to Swansea.

He said:

"The Conservative [UK] Government were rightly accused of selling out on people who lived to the west of Cardiff - isn't the Labour [Welsh] government now doing exactly the same to people who live in the valleys to the north?"

In the chamber, Mr Skates denied Plaid's claims, saying the government had consulted on and published "high level objectives" for the Metro.
He said there were two "world-class bids" for the contract - due to be awarded in May - from MTR and KeolisAmey, with two other bidders having dropped out.

"It would be premature for me to identify which projects are going to be taken forward in what form within the next Wales and Borders franchise and the development of the Metro until the award has been made,"

This looks like another grand project, that Labour have dangled in front of the electorate at election time.  Indeed I remember Mick Antoniw, bringing this up in a hustings in the Pontypridd constituency.

Like the grand plans for the Circuit of Wales in Ebbw Vale  , we are given a vision of future , that always remains in the  head of Ministers who have no coherent strategy for implementing it.

Ebbw Vale is represented in the Assembly by Labour Cabinet  minister  Alun Davies . who saw a suprising swing against him in the last last election.
 .

Welsh Assembly Election 2016: Blaenau Gwent^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Alun Davies	8,442	39.7	−24.3
	Plaid Cymru	Nigel Copner	7,792	36.6	+31.2
	UKIP	Kevin Boucher	3,423	16.1	+16.1
	Conservative	Tracey West	1,334	6.3	+1
	Liberal Democrats	Brendan D'Cruz	300	1.4	−0.4
Majority			650	3.1	-42.0
Turnout				42.1	+3.3
	Labour hold		Swing	−28.0

If the people there are  going to be let down again Mr Davies may well be seeking a new job in three years time.