Blogs on the South Wales Metro (or Cardiff Metro), transport, politics, bees and other stuff…
In June 2026 I will be helping run the "Metro and Us" event. The key question is to ask what else we need to do, to maximise the impact of the South Wales Metro and especially to enable wider economic development and regeneration. Click the image for more details.
Transport for Wales has launched its Rail investment prospectus, "Today, Tomorrow, Together". This complements a UK Government commitment to a long-term funding programme for Wales rail network. How much new money has actually been committed? As usual the devil is in the detail. Here are my initial thoughts......
A brief reaction to the UK Governments 2025 Comprehensive Spending Review - and its impact on rail investment in Wales
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.
A brief summary of the key facets of a successful Metro Vision - with reference to the success of the South Wales Metro
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
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.
My December 2024 letter to Transport Minister Heidi Alexander re: lack of UK Government rail enhancement investment in Wales.
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 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 (Crossrail, SWML, Brexit, PR, Severn Barrage, etc...) for 2025
....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…
I cover many of the issues raised below and wider schemes Wales, in my book "How to build a Metro" This is a copy of an email I sent to UK and WG Ministers in July 2024 on the subject of "Cardiff West Junction" - a piece of essential rail infrastructure in Cardiff which has … Continue reading Cardiff West Junction…
PS November 2024. I covered and updated some of these details in my book, "How to build a Metro". Take a look! PS Feb 2025: I published a blog "My suggestions for WG and TfW Board" in Feb 2025, which covers some of the points set out below Despite the naysaying and the covid induced … Continue reading Metro, subsidies & Cardiff… Some tough choices and compromises?
I include an update of the future of Metros in Wales in my book (from late Oct 2024), "How to build a Metro". So please head over and take a look.... 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 … Continue reading Metro Hopes for 2023…