Despite the naysaying and the covid induced delays, the Core Valley Lines (CVL) transformation part of The South Wales Metro is progressing at pace and by the end of 2025, will deliver a radical uplift in public transport services and capacity to the core valleys north of Cardiff[i]. This is a great start, but we … Continue reading Metro, subsidies & Cardiff… Some tough choices and compromises?
Category: Cardiff Central
Cardiff bus station, bus networks and integration…
Cardiff is getting a new bus station in Spring 2024…at last. Over the last few months, I have observed much commentary on this project, about the delay, the shortcomings, the coaches, etc. Some appear insightful, some misinformed and some just wrong. So, I thought I might share a few reflections on bus, integration and the … Continue reading Cardiff bus station, bus networks and integration…
Metro Hopes for 2023…
I’m normally pretty positive and optimistic…and have talked and written about Metros in Wales in such a manner, even with some small measure of critique. For example, in these blogs from 2022: Wales’ Metros – Update Feb 2022 Do you believe in Metro? and these earlier papers from 2018 (Which events have overtaken somewhat): My … Continue reading Metro Hopes for 2023…
Wales’ Metros – Update Feb 2022
A summary of this blog appeared in the Business Section of the Western Mail in March 2022 There has been some recent coverage in the media and some social media chatter about Wales’ Metro projects, their status and what they might deliver. Given my involvement in all of them – Cardiff/South Wales since 2010 and … Continue reading Wales’ Metros – Update Feb 2022
Wales, Transport Planning & Choices…
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…
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
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
A Public Transport Grid for the M4 Corridor…
July 2020... In March 2020, I submitted a paper to the South East Wales Transport Commission to consider in their deliberations over the M4. This essentially is that paper (with a few minor updates and reflections) which draws much from my blog “No new M4… so what instead” [i] from Summer 2019. There is nothing … Continue reading A Public Transport Grid for the M4 Corridor…
Cardiff Transport White Paper
As a guide, its only 20~30% of traffic at peak times that causes 100% of congestion. So, we need to direct capital investment to provide sufficiently attractive public transport and active travel options to encourage 20~30% less car journeys - not building more roads to induce more car use. In doing so, we also need … Continue reading Cardiff Transport White Paper
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... PS Nov 2023 - I have also added a link to a downloadable PDF of a … 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?
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
South Wales Metro & Lloyd George Avenue
Just re-read an article for the IWA I penned in 2012...which touched on the opportunity to use the South Wales Metro to finally deliver the Lloyd George Avenue (LGA) envisaged by the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC) in the 1990s. For me the Metro presents a huge number of urban design, development and regeneration opportunities. … Continue reading South Wales Metro & Lloyd George Avenue
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
Mark Barry 