What mode is best......? Postscript April 2022 - I have made a small number of edits re WG Bus legislation and rail v bus In this blog, my first of 2022, I’d like to take on some transport questions that keep coming up in Wales and often generate answers, perhaps, that draw more upon sentiment … Continue reading Wales, Transport Planning & Choices…
Category: Agglomeration
South Wales Metro & Devolution
This is the full version of the article that appeared in the December 2021 edition of Rail Technology Magazine and the February 2022 edition of Rail Professional. As many will know, I have been involved in the South Wales Metro project in various roles since my first report on the subject, “A Metro for Wales … Continue reading South Wales Metro & Devolution
Severnside – My 2012 Blog
I just found an old blog (see below), that was originally published by the IWA in 2012 on the subject of "Severnside", which I thought I should share unedited! Interesting to see how much, and how little, has changed since 2012. Especially the Climate Emergency, Brexit, the cancellation of GWML electrification to Swansea, a recognition … Continue reading Severnside – My 2012 Blog
Levelling Up, Working Together? A Transport Enhancement Programme for Wales
A challenge to UK & Welsh Governments... A summary of this article appeared in the Western Mail on 28th June 2021 PS some minor edits made in Sep 2022 Most of you will know that I have written and spoken at length over the last few years on Welsh rail, the lack of enhancement funding … Continue reading Levelling Up, Working Together? A Transport Enhancement Programme for Wales
What sort of Wales do we want?
A version of this article also appeared Nation Cymru in March 2020 I have also written another related blog (Jan 2021) that covers Tax, Climate Change and Wales' ability to sustain a viable economy as an independent nation in July 2021, I followed up with, "What sort of Britain do we want?" What sort of … Continue reading What sort of Wales do we want?
WG National Development Framework – some quick reflections…
In August this year, Welsh Government (WG) published its National Development Framework[i] (NDF) for consultation (which is designed to complement and provide more spatial priorities for Planning Policy Wales PPW published in 2018[ii]). There is much to applaud – especially the emphasis on Transit Oriented Development (see Policy 1 - Sustainable Urban Growth) and the … Continue reading WG National Development Framework – some quick reflections…
A Cardiff Crossrail…
This blog first published in 2019 to support the Cardiff Council Transport White Paper... PS Jan 2023 - Worth looking at #1 in this blog re: pragmatic phasing of Cardiff Crossrail...A few more Jan 2023 PSs below as well... Cardiff Council have just announced a key component in their developing transport vision - A Cardiff … Continue reading A Cardiff Crossrail…
No new M4…so what instead?
A quick brain dump of some ideas (which is a follow up to my earlier piece on why I agree with the WG decision in respect of the M4)..….nothing new under the sun! I have also made a few tweaks and updated the map in response to some comments/suggestions... ....I also penned an article in … Continue reading No new M4…so what instead?
Swansea Bay Metro & City Deal
This is the transcript of the speech I gave at a Policy Form Wales, Swansea Bay City Deal Conference in April 2019 Thank you, Suzy. I spent about a week, preparing a brilliant presentation for you, really top quality, but it’s not working so you can’t see it! That’s just the way it goes, so … Continue reading Swansea Bay Metro & City Deal
Wales and the Williams Review
My article in the April 2019 edition of Rail Professional It explores the impact (or not) of Williams and sets out perhaps more important issues facing the Welsh Government in relation to rail policy and network development - particularly the long term underinvestment of the Welsh rail network. Seems the link is broken...so here is … Continue reading Wales and the Williams Review
Wales’ Rail Network – The Case for Investment
This short article accompanies the publication of my "Case for Investment" work for Welsh Government in respect of Wales' rail network. It also appeared in the Western Mail on December 12th 2018 "Wales will be getting new trains, but they’ll operate on a “2ndGear Railway” In May this year the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and … Continue reading Wales’ Rail Network – The Case for Investment
Metro & Me, October 2018
In October 2018 we (Cardiff University, Arup, IWA, Capital Law) published a collection of essays related to the South Wales Metro to support the Metro and Me event held in Cardiff on 8th October. Capital Law did the heavy lifting (especially Lowri Gregory) to plan and manage the day. Thanks to all the speakers and … Continue reading Metro & Me, October 2018
Metro Impact Study, October 2013
Worth referring back to the 2013, Metro Impact Study. It now has a new relevance given we are about to build a #southwalesmetro . Note the older "metro map"...this has gone through a few iterations over the last few years!
Making the Metro work for the Valleys and for Cardiff…
I did a lot of "heavy lifting" re: the South Wales Metro 2010-2016, the burden then passed to Transport for Wales....and now to Keolis/Amey who will work to deliver it by 2023/4. Perhaps I may allow myself a moment to sketch out some ideas for how the planned network could be enhanced and extended from … Continue reading Making the Metro work for the Valleys and for Cardiff…
A Swansea Bay Metro…
Postscript: My original musings re a Swansea Bay Metro in 2017 have been superseded by more formal work with Welsh Government and Swansea Bay local authorities & stakeholders through 2018 and hopefully into 2019. I have published a more detailed article ....see Swansea to Cardiff in 30 mins (published 15th Sep 2017) Since the UK … Continue reading A Swansea Bay Metro…
Mark Barry 