Swansea Bay Metro plan that will cut train times to Cardiff
More detailed plans for the Swansea Bay Metro, which would significantly reduce rail journey times to Cardiff and London while also improving transport connections across the region, have been revealed.
Mark Barry, professor of practice in connectivity at Cardiff University’s School of Geography and Planning, has outlined an idea he believes could revitalise travel in the region.
Prof Barry, who came up with concept for the south-east Wales Metro which is now out for procurement, believes the loss of electrification of the rail line to Swansea means there is an opportunity to improve the connectivity of the region.
Prof Barry said: “Rather than join the obvious outcry, I want to avoid the politics and focus on perhaps a more ambitious scheme that presents a real opportunity to transform connectivity to, from and within Swansea Bay and one that delivers real economic benefits.
“I think it is possible to deliver Cardiff to Swansea rail journey times of 30 minutes and Swansea to London of 2 hours 15 minutes and at the same time establish the foundation of a transformational rail-based Swansea Bay Metro.”
CBI Wales director Ian Price has backed the idea, whose next stage would be a full feasibility study.
Mr Price said: “To maximise the potential of the Swansea Bay City Region, greater connectivity between the city and its surrounding communities, as well as better connections to Cardiff and London, are critical.
“The CBI encourages the evaluation of any project that has the potential – as the Swansea Metro does – to transform the broader region and deliver a step change in growth and employment.”
AMs Lee Waters (Lanellli) and Jeremy Miles (Neath) are also calling for an ambitious new ‘Metro’ transport network in the Swansea Bay region and called on the First Minister to launch a detailed study into the potential for the scheme.
Mr Miles said: “We need a radical plan with the potential to link up communities across the Swansea Bay region. With an integrated bus and rail network, people will have better options to live, commute and enjoy the benefits in such a vibrant, geographically diverse area.
“It’s a natural partner to the Swansea Bay City Deal – which will see more than £1.3bn invested in business – and will mean that the jobs created as a result of this investment are open to communities across the region.”
Mr Waters said: “This plan is ambitious, but when you consider we’re prepared to spend £1bn on a 14-mile section of motorway near Newport, it only seems right that we consider how we could support the rest of Wales to be better connected. This is a long-term investment to ensure our communities are not left behind.” Highlights of the plan include: Swansea Bay commuter circle line or even a figure of eight using the Swansea district line to Llanelli.
New stations could serve the new student campus on Fabian Way and the Liberty Stadium, as well as a new M4 park and ride station.
And if tram-train were eventually made to work then an “on-street” route along to the Mumbles could be considered. Here Prof Barry explains his plan for a Swansea Bay Metro: (The plan is based on Prof Barry’s own ideas or those already in the public domain and not those of Transport for Wales, Welsh Government, Cardiff University or any other organisation.) THE current 55-minute rail journey to Swansea from Cardiff – which are only 35 miles apart – is unnecessarily extended because of two key constraints.
Firstly, the low line speed between Cardiff and Bridgend and secondly, the need for the main line to meander around to Neath and Skewen between Port Talbot and Swansea.
In addition, the promise of faster journeys on the Swansea District Line from west Wales to Cardiff is diminished by the commercial reality of a rail line that completely bypasses the revenue offered in Swansea.
The location of Swansea High Street station itself, being a terminus, is also a constraint as it requires through trains to enter and reverse back on to the main route near Morfa, adding 10-15 minutes to through journey times.
The question, then, is what could address all the transport issues and at the same time unlock wider development and regeneration opportunities to help grow the economy of the entire Swansea Bay City Region.
The wider Swansea Bay City Region (Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthen) has a population of 500,000 , a leading UK university and a unique urban coastline.
The University of Wales Trinity St David’s development at SA1, Swansea University’s new bay campus, Bay Studios and Amazon signpost the development potential along the Fabian Way coastal corridor.
The recently announced Swansea Bay City Deal also sets out ambitious plans for life sciences, the digital economy, creative industries, smart manufacturing and energy.
To realise this economic potential, Swansea Bay needs a good transport network to help its key centres and development areas – Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Llanelli, Fabian Way – support more employment.
It also needs better connections to west Wales, mid Wales, Cardiff, Bristol and London.
So, here’s an idea (and I give some credit for this to Jim Steer of Greengauge 21 with whom I originally discussed the bones of this project in 2011). Let’s upgrade line speeds between Cardiff to Bridgend to at least 100mph. Then, let’s build a new section of track that spurs off the current line just west of Port Talbot, heads over the River Neath and approaches Swansea along the coast parallel to Fabian Way (in part using some of the old rail alignment).
It then elevates over Fabian Way near SA1 on the approach to and over the River Tawe to an expanded Swansea Central Station that has two new through platforms immediately adjacent to and on the eastern side of the current station building.
This would deliver a more direct route to Swansea from Cardiff 10km shorter than the current route and help reduce journey times between Cardiff and Swansea to perhaps 30 minutes and from west Wales to Cardiff by at least 20 minutes. Moreover, post-Great Western electrification, Swansea to London journey times of 2 hours 15 minutes could be delivered.
To complement this ‘main line’