On February 13th, 2024, Sarah Atherton MP published a piece in the Wrexham Leader criticising a number of Welsh Government decisions and/or implications thereof of as regards transport. 'Plan for increased use of public transport is fundamentally flawed' | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk) Whilst I have no problem with an honest and reasoned critique, most of … Continue reading There must be an election coming up…
Category: The Economy
Wales, Metro, TOD & Devolution…
To support my presentation at a Wales Week in London event on the South Wales Metro on 27th February, I have penned a few words about the Cardiff Capital Region Metro. It also appeared in a shorter form in Transport Times on February 13th, 2024. You can also download the presentation I used here PS I … Continue reading Wales, Metro, TOD & Devolution…
No rail devolution? No Swansea Bay Metro!
I cover a little more about Swansea Bay Metro and the rail industry in Wales in my book (from late Oct 2024), "How to build a Metro" So please head over and take a look.... Without fundamental constitutional reform, a Swansea Bay Metro will likely never happen. A version of this blog appeared in the … Continue reading No rail devolution? No Swansea Bay Metro!
Pride and the Global Centre of Rail Excellence
Earlier this week (on Tuesday 29th November 2023) I took a trip up to the top of the Dulais Valley, Onllwyn and the site of the Global Centre of Rail Excellence. My previous trip had been over five years earlier with MP Christina Rees and colleague Katie Allister to see what was then, Celtic Energy’s … Continue reading Pride and the Global Centre of Rail Excellence
Cardiff Airport…stick or twist?…and Severnside!
Its ten years since Welsh Government bought Cardiff Airport…leading again to a polarised debate. In another shorter than usual article I want to try and unpack some of the issues and choices …and my views have been shaped by experts in the field of aviation (they know who they are!). So, do we stick or … Continue reading Cardiff Airport…stick or twist?…and Severnside!
Political, Economic & Environmental Hopes for 2023/4…
PS Still relevant in 2024.... I shared some Metro themed Hopes and Moans in two related blogs yesterday (1st Jan 2023). Here I want to quickly share some broader political, economic and environmental hopes (mostly naïve I suspect) that I hold for 2023 and beyond (with links and references to some of my blogs over … Continue reading Political, Economic & Environmental Hopes for 2023/4…
UK Government Cock Ups, Wales, Zen and The Art of Independence…
Whilst a student in Manchester in the 1980s, studying the Philosophy of Science (as part of my Physics degree) I read Robert Pirsig’s famous work, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”. I’ll probably summarise this very poorly, but in his book, Pirsig explored, two world views which he manifests in his characters. One world view … Continue reading UK Government Cock Ups, Wales, Zen and The Art of Independence…
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
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, and in 2024 (noting events have overtaken some of the content somewhat) Most of you will know that I have written and spoken at length over … Continue reading Levelling Up, Working Together? A Transport Enhancement Programme for Wales
The Environment, Tax and Wales
I’ve tried to write this blog a few times over the last year - and failed. So here is another brief attempt that sets out for me some of the primary considerations that need to be reflected in our fiscal systems – which I assert are now completely out of sync with the world we … Continue reading The Environment, Tax and Wales
A Public Transport Grid for the M4 Corridor…
This is a 2020 blog! I update some of the details and my thinking in my 2024 book "How to build a Metro" and especially the chapters on cars (especially the evidence of the impact of building more road capacity and induced demand), transit-oriented development and the section on public transport measures needed on the … Continue reading A Public Transport Grid for the M4 Corridor…
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…
Welsh Paradores and Sourdough Bread
Post Script. The Welsh Government Five Year Tourism Plan published early in 2020 now includes a commitment to develop a "Welsh Paradore". See Page 17! Growing the foundational economy across the South Wales Valleys... Wales’ City Regions are still in nascent form and grappling with how to address long term and structural socio-economic challenges with … Continue reading Welsh Paradores and Sourdough Bread