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Opinion

The West Wales Metro must not fall off the Welsh Government’s radar

21 Nov 2024 5 minute read
Swansea Bay in south Wales

Mike HedgesMS for Swansea East

Much has been said in the media and at the Senedd about the Cardiff Metro Scheme but the Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro whilst less discussed is vitally important for the development of the Swansea Bay region and wider area.

It is imperative that it does not fall off the Welsh Government radar amongst all the talks of the Cardiff Metro.

The first steps are being taken towards creating several new railway stations in the Swansea region. Wales’s First Minister Eluned Morgan says she understood Transport for Wales (TfW) is developing a business case for the Swansea Bay Metro, which will see new stations on the Swansea and District Line, at Pontlliw, Felindre, Morriston, Llandarcy, Winch Wen and the reopening of Landore station.

In addition, a new train station at Cockett is proposed on the Swansea to Pembrey and Burry Port line, which also serves Llanelli and Gowerton. The re opening of the Landore station could reduce traffic congestion especially on match days as the station is in easy walking distance of the Swansea.com stadium.

Tram line

The proposed stations were first announced last year with experts developing proposals to build or re-open several train stations in Swansea, roll out electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses, and even create a new tram line from the city’s High Street station to the docks.

A TfW spokesperson said: “Investment in the Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro will enable better access to jobs and services, and drive growth in business and housing. Proposed new stations at Cockett and St Clears and improved services would provide much needed access to mainline services for these communities.

“The plans also include six proposed stations at Pontlliw, Felindre, Morriston, Llandarcy, Winch Wen and Llandore as part of a Pontarddulais and Swansea metro service.

“This would be transformational for the growing northern suburbs of Swansea Bay. The Welsh Government are funding us to develop an outline business case for the Metro. We are engaged in discussions with the Welsh Government to secure the necessary rail investment from the UK Government, recognising rail investment is a non-devolved matter.”

Infrastructure

Swansea Council was told last year by TfW that this would provide rail access for a large swathe of the city’s northern suburbs and link the High Street station through to Pontarddulais in the north-west of the county.

Integration of key transport infrastructure will be key to redeveloping transport for the area, and I look forward to local authorities having more say in the running of local bus services and supporting the introduction of new Electric and Hydrogen Cell busses.

I look forward to the adoption of bus franchising powers which will hopefully enable proper integrated transport solutions.

There is a need for bus interchanges at the stations. Llansamlet station would benefit from a bus stop outside as opposed to around the corner on Fredericks Place. Buses also need to be timed so that their arrival and departure align to the railway timetable.

Whilst the re-opening and opening of railway stations is very important most public transport will continue to be by bus. The bus network needs to be integrated to allow easy movement in the Metro area.

Rejuvenation

I am particularly pleased that one of the proposals is the reopening of Landore station; I have campaigned for this since being elected in 2011. It will offer an opportunity to get to the stadium by train and will lead to less cars plaguing the local community on match days, often parking inappropriately.

Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro will play a vital role in rejuvenating our local economy and will make travelling around the area much easier and greener; it is vital that it happens soon, and I will be pushing for quick implementation.’

TFW are transforming the way you make your journeys and making it easier to travel, whether that’s by train, bus, bike or on foot.

Metro is a new integrated transport system across Wales that will become our transport of choice. The Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro is in the early stages of development. It is one of three schemes which will help to:

    • boost local economies – growth as a region is a focus with local industry, services and tourism playing key roles.
    • join up journeys across Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, improving integration of networks and connectivity
    • provide faster, more accessible and reliable options to commute to work and access public services and leisure destinations
    • reduce the environmental impact of our transport network
    • have a positive impact on our health and well-being.

Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro is being developed in partnership by Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire local authorities, working alongside Welsh Government and the new Corporate Joint Committees.

It will be key in helping to deliver the aims and objectives of the Wales transport strategy ‘Llwybr Newydd’ together with supporting the delivery of the City Region’s strategic projects.


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Brychan
Brychan
12 days ago

How does Mike Hedges MS know that his colleague Lee Waters MS uses radar to navigate his occasional visits back to his constituency in west Wales? Wasn’t he the transport minister?

Matthew
Matthew
12 days ago

The South Wales Metro has been delayed by two years, partly because of COVID but mostly because the Welsh Government can’t afford to take too big a hit out of its budget in one go without making cuts to other departments.

If we ever hope to deliver other projects like the Swansea Metro we need the Welsh Government to be able to borrow for major infrastructure projects. There’s so much to do and I can’t see how else we can do it all in a timely manner.

Billy James
Billy James
12 days ago

Wales rapidly turning into a smaller version of the UK where Cardiff (London and south east) has all the transport infrastructure & investment while the rest of Wales can go sing…

John Ellis
John Ellis
10 days ago
Reply to  Billy James

What makes the difference is that in industrial south Wales, while many of the local stations were closed back in the 1960s, the track has still remained – either because passenger train services linking larger towns still continue – as with Swansea> Llanelli>Carmarthen>Pembrokeshire towns which Mike Hedges is focusing on – or because the track was left in place and still maintained for the use of goods trains long after passenger train services were discontinued. So it was – relatively! – inexpensive to reinstate, say, passenger rail services to Ebbw Vale and to Maesteg. Whereas restoring passenger train services in… Read more »

Mark
Mark
6 days ago
Reply to  Billy James

Don’t worry, Wales isn’t rapidly turning into anything! The Welsh Government have built no transport infrastructure of any significance in the last 25 years. All they have succeeded in doing is wasting millions on consultants reports for projects that then get cancelled. They have been talking about the Cardiff Metro for 13 years and maybe the first phase will be finished in 2026. I’m sorry to disappoint Mr Hedges, but the odds of the Swansea Metro being finished by 2050 are about the same as the odds of Warren Gatland leading Wales to the Grand Slam next year.

Antony Jones
Antony Jones
12 days ago

Swansea isn’t West Wales.
Swansea is South Wales.

Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire are West Wales.

Gwilym Jenkins
Gwilym Jenkins
11 days ago
Reply to  Antony Jones

And Ceredigion

Bob
Bob
11 days ago

Bring back the Mumbles tram.

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