Call to extend rail network
CALLS for a rail link between Aberdare and Hirwaun form part of a major new passenger vision urging a huge investment in South Wales’ public transport network.
CALLS for a rail link between Aberdare and Hirwaun form part of a major new passenger vision urging a huge investment in South Wales’ public transport network.
The rail extension, which has been mooted for the top of the Cynon Valley before, is part of a call by the Cardiff Capital Region to boost turn-upand-go services in the region.
As well as supporting efforts of the Welsh Government to reach its net carbon emissions target by 2050, the city region, made up of the 10 local authorities of south-east Wales, said a new integrated grid of rail and bus services with integrated hubs – connecting communities across the region which is home to 1.4 million people – should be delivered over the next 10-15 years.
This, it is said, would significantly reduce car journeys.
Drawing on earlier work and analysis it has been calculated that benefits of more than £4bn could be secured for the region over 30 years by combining traditional transport user benefits with the potential wider economic impact from rail’s South Wales Metro, whose next phase is under way with electrification of the Core Valley Lines into Cardiff.
To deliver the planned network, underpinned by Metro plus projects, requires an investment running into the billions of pounds.
While a collaboration approach would be needed, the city region said that after decades of significant investment in rail enhancement projects in Wales, the UK Government should look to provide financial backing as part of its much-vaunted levelling up agenda. The vision calls for: ■ A major upgrade of the South Wales Mainline (SWML) to form the backbone of the region’s public transport network through new stations and a mix of intercity express and local commuter services;
■ Measures to address current rail bottlenecks to allow more services on the Ebbw Valley, Marches, Maesteg, Vale of Glamorgan, City and Coryton lines;
■ Upgrade of, and connections between, existing rail lines to create the proposed Cardiff Crossrail, circle and the northwest corridor extension to Rhondda Cynon Taf, with an extension from Aberdare to Hirwaun;
■ Developing options for enhanced cross valley connectivity, both bus and tram-train; and,
■ Introduction of further new stations, in addition to those included in the Core Valley Lines electrification project, to connect more people and places to the Metro network.
It also calls for the reconnecting of Caerphilly with Newport using the Machen freight line and tram train services.
It also says on-street tramway capability could be introduced in Newport to avoid conflicts with the congested South Wales Mainline and support regeneration in Newport.
New stations on the line, with increased capacity, including through the use of relief lines, is seen as vital to increasing services between South Wales and Bristol Temple Mead, where there are currently only two services an hour. In comparison, between Leeds and Manchester there are six with plans for even higher frequency.
Huw David, chair of the Cardiff Capital Region Transport Authority, said: “Investing in our transport infrastructure is key to meeting all of our economic and social ambitions.
“It is critical to everything from enabling flexible working, regenerating town centres, meeting decarbonisation targets – and bringing the inclusive prosperity and wellbeing that everyone in our region deserves.”
Mr David said that progress will depend on collaborative working with key partners including local authorities, Welsh Government, Transport for Wales, Network Rail and the UK Government.
Mr David, who is also leader of the Bridgend council, said: “This is a moment in time we simply have to grasp and this landmark strategy can give us the connectivity we need and drive major economic regeneration in places that include Bridgend town centre and the Ford site, Cardiff Airport and St Athan, Cardiff city centre and the Bay, the Ebbw Vale Enterprise Zone, Merthyr town centre, Nantgarw, Newport city centre, Pontypridd town centre and Treforest – as well as inform the emerging plans for Cyfarthfa Castle and key hubs such Aberdare, Barry Town, Caerphilly and Pontypool.”
Mark Barry, Professor of practice in connectivity, School of Geography and Planning at Cardiff University, who is credited with the vision for the Metro project, said: “This vision goes well beyond the Metro project that I first mooted in 2011 to connect Cardiff, Newport and the Valleys and enhances connectivity to and from the Cardiff Capital Region with Swansea, Bristol and London. The climate emergency requires us to provide viable public transport alternatives to help reduce current high levels of car use.
“As importantly, the proposals can be a catalyst for post-Covid regeneration and sustainable economic development including measures to encourage the relocation of our car-based offices, retail, leisure and public services back to town and city centres right across the region.”
Apart from the Core Valley Lines into Cardiff, a project which is expected to be completed in late 2023 or in 2024, the rest of the rail infrastructure is not devolved with investment a matter from the UK Government via Network Rail.
Last week Sir Peter Hendy published his interim report for the Boris Johnson commissioned Union Connectivity Review.
This confirmed £20m in funding to work up business cases for road and rail investments for the devolved nations aimed at improving connections to England.
This includes looking at improving capacity on the North Wales and South Wales mainlines, with the latter looking at the recommendations of the Welsh Government’s Burns Commission which in its report last year set out plans to significantly increasing public transport services and capacity after the decision of First Minister Mark Drakeford not to proceed with a £1bn-plus M4 Relief Road south of Newport.
The UK Government said it will work closely with relevant devolved administrations on working up business cases. Rail investment in Wales, outside of the now devolved Core Valleys Lines, is not a devolved matter.
Over the last few decades Wales has only received two per cent of Network Rail funded rail enhancement projects, despite having around 10 per cent of the network.
It will also not get a Barnett consequential for the next phase of high speed rail in England, which is the case for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
HS2 from London to the Midlands and the north of England has a £100bn price tag. If Barnett-ised it would see the Welsh Government getting a consequential of £5bn over the next decade.
The Department of Transport’s spending commitment to high speed is already squeezing the Barnett-ised funding the Welsh Government receives from spending on transport projects in England. It is now down to around 35 per cent, having previously had an attribution factor for the Welsh Government of around 80 per cent.