Six-hour London to Dublin service proposed in £32bn project ahead of Senedd election

PLANS for a rail tunnel linking west Wales directly to Ireland have emerged, with a company owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk said to be involved in early-stage discussions.

The proposed fixed link would connect Fishguard with Wexford, creating the first direct rail connection between the UK and Ireland.

Sources indicate that The Boring Company has been exploring the feasibility of constructing the tunnel, which could form part of a wider transport corridor linking London and Dublin.

Six-hour London to Dublin service

Under the plans, an express rail service could run directly from London to Dublin in around six hours, significantly reducing current journey times and removing the need for ferry crossings.

Passengers would travel via south Wales before entering the tunnel beneath the Irish Sea, with vehicles transported on specialised rail carriers similar to those used on the Channel Tunnel.

One source familiar with the discussions said: “This would be a game-changer for connectivity between Britain and Ireland. It’s being looked at very seriously.”

£32bn project backed by private investment

The project is expected to cost in the region of £32 billion, with the bulk of funding understood to come from private sector investors.

Sources suggest that both the Welsh Government and Irish authorities would support the scheme through planning, facilitation and long-term guarantees, but that no direct funding has been committed by Westminster.

Insiders say the decision reflects ongoing pressure on UK public finances following the spiralling cost of High Speed 2.

HS2 ‘owes Wales’ debate reignited

The proposal is also expected to reignite debate over whether Wales should have received additional funding as a result of HS2.

Critics have long argued that the classification of the project as an “England and Wales” scheme has denied Wales billions of pounds in consequential funding through the Barnett formula.

One political source told The Herald: “There is a growing view that HS2 effectively owes Wales a major infrastructure investment of its own.”

Election timing questioned

It is understood that the Welsh Government has brought forward the proposal just weeks ahead of the Senedd elections, in what some insiders believe is an attempt to boost support.

With First Minister Eluned Morgan facing a challenging political landscape, sources suggest the announcement of a bold, high-profile infrastructure project could help shift momentum ahead of polling day.

One insider said: “This is exactly the kind of big, attention-grabbing policy that can change the narrative during an election campaign.”

However, the concept of a fixed link between south Wales and Ireland is not new. A 2004 report by the Institution of Engineers of Ireland outlined a “Tuskar route” linking Fishguard and Rosslare via a tunnel beneath the Irish Sea. The proposal, which formed part of a wider long-term transport vision for Ireland, suggested a crossing of around 45 miles (72km) — broadly comparable in scale to the current plans under discussion.

Ferry firms raise concerns

Operators running services from Fishguard Harbour have reacted with concern, warning the plans could have a major impact on existing ferry routes.

An industry source said: “If this goes ahead, it would fundamentally change travel patterns. Ferry services could struggle to compete.”

Questions over Cardiff Airport links

The proposal is also likely to raise questions about the future of existing air routes between Wales and Ireland, particularly those operating from Cardiff Airport to Dublin.

With the Welsh Government owning and subsidising the airport, critics say a high-speed rail alternative could put pressure on passenger numbers.

One observer said: “If you suddenly have a direct six-hour rail service city-to-city, it inevitably puts pressure on short-haul flights.”

Economic boost for west Wales

Supporters of the scheme argue that, if delivered, the project could provide a major long-term economic boost to west Wales, improving connectivity, increasing tourism, and strengthening trade links.

The Herald understands that early projections suggest the scheme could bring significant investment and job creation to Pembrokeshire during both construction and operation.

However, key details — including environmental impact, construction timelines and final funding arrangements — have yet to be confirmed.

A fixed link between south Wales and Ireland has been discussed in various forms for decades, but has never progressed beyond early-stage proposals.

Some within government are said to view the scheme as a way of finally delivering Wales’ share of major infrastructure investment following HS2.

AN APPEAL against national park refusal of a shepherd hut holiday let in a Pembrokeshire village, which gained public support after it was turned down, has been lodged.

In an application refused by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park last year, Alex Mazaheri of Melrose, Whitehill, near Cresselly sought retrospective permission for a shepherd hut holiday let, and car parking space in the property grounds.

Work started in February 2025.

An officer report recommending refusal said: “National and local planning policies strictly control new development in such locations, permitting only certain forms where the need for a countryside location is essential.

“It is not considered that the applicant has demonstrated this essential need.  Furthermore, the siting of the hut and associated access works, including the removal of a section of boundary hedge, has resulted in a significant visual impact when viewed from the public highway. “

It said a number of concerns had been raised by members of the public including the work already having been carried out, the hut sited in close proximity to the highway at one of the narrowest points of the road, removal of hedgerow and creation of a new access without permission, and a lack of adequate visibility to the road for vehicles emerging.

The application was refused on the grounds including it represented “unjustified new development in the countryside,” it would “appear visually intrusive and discordant within the street scene and surrounding rural landscape,” and “insufficient information was provided to demonstrate that the proposal would achieve nutrient neutrality within the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC) catchment”.

An appeal lodged with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), says: “The appellant contends that the refusal was disproportionate and failed to properly reflect the modest scale of the proposal, relevant consultee responses, and the ability to address matters through reasonable planning conditions.”

It added: “Neighbours and passers‑by have commented positively on the hut, noting its modest and sympathetic appearance. Following refusal, local press coverage generated a number of public comments, the majority of which were supportive of the proposal.

“While these are not formal consultation responses, they indicate that the local community did not view the shepherd’s hut as harmful.”

It disputed the ‘retrospective’ description as misleading, saying: “The shepherd’s hut was placed within the domestic curtilage in the belief that this was permissible, as ancillary domestic structures are generally allowed under permitted development rights,” adding the hut works are not yet fully complete.

It added Mr Mazaheri had “not sought to evade planning control but has instead acted in good faith, investing in landscaping and improvements for the immediate area while applying for planning in an open and transparent manner”.

It said he was willing to accept conditions including holiday occupancy-only, retention of an off-street parking space, obstruction-free visibility splays, and biodiversity enhancements.

It concluded: “The proposal is proportionate, reversible, and consistent with both local precedent and national guidance. It will support a young local family, provide modest but meaningful income diversification, and deliver biodiversity enhancements without causing harm to landscape character, ecology, highways, or amenity.”

A decision on the appeal is expected later in the year.

THE ROW over Peter Mandelson has escalated after the Welsh Government cleared its own dealings with the Labour grandee — as UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of “lying” about him.

First Minister Eluned Morgan ordered a review into communications between Welsh Government officials and Mandelson following pressure from Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The investigation examined all correspondence — as well as material from documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein — and concluded there was “nothing which represented a risk to the conduct of Welsh Government business.”

But the findings come as Mandelson is once again at the centre of a growing political storm in Westminster.

Westminster clash

Speaking on LBC, Badenoch claimed Starmer had misled Parliament over Mandelson, saying: “This is a man who tells lies at PMQs… just like he did with Peter Mandelson when he said, ‘I didn’t know the full extent of his relationship’, and the papers… showed the opposite.”

While such language would be ruled out of order in the Commons, the accusation marks a significant escalation in political rhetoric around the issue.

Labour has not yet responded to the claims.

Questions remain

In Wales, ministers insist the matter has been fully examined and closed.

However, the Welsh Government has not published the underlying correspondence reviewed, nor detailed the extent of any contact with Mandelson.

That lack of transparency may leave the door open to further scrutiny — particularly given the wider controversy now unfolding at UK level.

Political risk

Although no wrongdoing has been identified, the timing is sensitive.

With the Senedd election approaching, any perceived links — however indirect — to a figure caught up in a Westminster row involving Epstein-related material could prove politically damaging.

Opposition parties are likely to argue that the issue is no longer just about internal processes, but about public trust.

For now, the Welsh Government is standing by its findings.

But as the row intensifies in Westminster, the Mandelson question may not be going away any time soon.