Welsh sport, the soul of a nation and a constitutional metaphor
Wales, sport & the soul of nation?
Welsh sport, the soul of a nation and a constitutional metaphor
Author: @swalesmetroprof
Professor of Practice in Connectivity at Cardiff University's School of Geography and Planning. Conceived & been working on The South Wales Metro since 2010...also KOd some thinking re Swansea Bay Metro and Cardiff Crossrail!
Post CSR, Rail Investment and Wales (updated!)
A brief reaction to the UK Governments 2025 Comprehensive Spending Review - and its impact on rail investment in Wales
The CSR, Wales & rail investment
A summary of the primary rail enhancement schemes needed in Wales to 2040 and justification for £4Bn commitment from UK Government to help deliver them.
Developing a Vision, and getting a “Go” for a Metro…
A brief summary of the key facets of a successful Metro Vision - with reference to the success of the South Wales Metro
To Casperia and back by train (April 2025)…
A brief reflection on our 2025 Interrail trip from Cardiff to Casperia and back...
The UK Govs GBR Consultation – my initial thoughts…
My initial thought in response to the DfTs GBR Feb 2025 consultation and reference to the reality that the UK economy is held back as a result of the relative underinvestment in public transport in the UKs major cities and city regions (outside London) when compared to Europe
Some “Metro” suggestions for TfW’s Board & Welsh Government
Welsh Government and Transport for Wales have made great progress with the development of the South Wales Metro - and deserve recognition for this enormous undertaking. However we can't sit still, there is more to do...Crossrail Phase 2 to address Metro gaps in Cardiff, revised staffing protocols to reduce operating costs, more overt bus/rail integration and for the region more TOD.
The AI Pandoras Box is already open… and our modern human society is doomed.
Does AI mean the end of modern human society?
It’s all kicked off at Cardiff University…!
My quick reflections on the potential redundancies announced at Cardiff University and more broadly the role of Higher Education in our economy.
Welsh Rail Funding – Ministerial Correspondence December 2024
My December 2024 letter to Transport Minister Heidi Alexander re: lack of UK Government rail enhancement investment in Wales.
Pontypridd – the Heart of The Valleys
We can't stop once we have delivered the £1Bn South Wales Metro. To enable its wider benefits, we now need a Metro Economic Development and Regeneration Programme for Pontypridd and the Central Valleys.
Cardiff Crossrail Phase 2
Cardiff Crossrail Phase 2 is essential for the economy of the city & wider region. It will address the gaps in the current Metro Programme in Cardiff, and provide the foundation for the full Crossrail that has the biggest mode shift and economic impact potential of any scheme in Wales
Metro and other hopes for 2025…
Metro and other hopes (Crossrail, SWML, Brexit, PR, Severn Barrage, etc...) for 2025
Why the UKs City Regions need Metros…
....and why it's not happening fast or big enough! A version of this article appeared in the November 2024 edition of Rail Technology Magazine. I presented at Connected Places Catapult event in Leeds in November on this subject and will also present at the UK 2025 Rail Summit, so this is a timely blog. It’s … Continue reading Why the UKs City Regions need Metros…
How to build a Metro…
It’s now fifteen years since I first set out my ideas for a Cardiff Capital Region Metro (or South Wales Metro) and just over 13 since my report, “A Metro for Wales Capital City Region” was published with the Cardiff Business Partnership and Institute of Welsh Affairs. It was in Autumn 2015 that FM Carwyn … Continue reading How to build a Metro…