Leading figures from the political and academic communities in Wales have criticised the design of the HS2 network, claiming that in the main, it does not benefit the country. They suggest adding to the current Y-shaped route, which runs from London to Manchester and (it is hoped) Leeds, to include Bristol, with onward links to Cardiff.
Professor Mark Barry, from the Cardiff University School of Geography and Planning, and also transport thinktank Greengauge21, have called for an X-shaped network. This would connect the HS2 to the South-West of England, and provide a quick route into Wales.
Prof Barry told the New Civil Engineer (NCE): “In the margins HS2 can help but in the main it does not benefit Wales. What would help is building an X-shaped network as Greengauge21 suggested so you could run trains from Leeds along HS2 via Birmingham to the south west of the UK. Where is that in the thinking in terms of connectivity?”
Rail infrastructure is not an issue that is currently devolved to the Welsh government, the NCE reports, beyond some core valley lines. However, Prof Barry explains that Wales has a high level of car dependency, and there are some key improvements that need to be made to the country’s rail network.
The South East Wales Transport Commission (SEWTC) was established in 2019 to examine ways of reducing congestion on the M4 motorway. Its suggestions include upgrading the train line between Bristol and Cardiff, to allow express services and local services to run separately, and also adding up to six new stations.
Meanwhile, work has begun on the South Wales Metro Project, which is an ambitious multi-million-pound scheme to upgrade the public transport network around the Cardiff Capital Region. This includes a wide area of South Wales, from Monmouthshire, Rhondda, the Vale of Glamorgan, to Bridgend and Cardiff.
The improvement works are expected to take around five years, and will involve electrifying around 170km of track, upgrading stations and signalling, and building at least five new stations. Currently the rail line between Aberdare and Pontypridd is being renovated to allow for the use of tram-trains, which will result in far quicker journey times to Cardiff.
In the north of the country, initial plans are also underway for the North Wales Metro, which will improve bus and rail connections between the North Wales coast, Wrexham, Deeside, and Merseyside. The Welsh Government is keen to establish strong links to the so called ‘Northern Powerhouse’ of cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds.
There are already several refurbished trains on the network, which have more capacity, are faster, and have improved onboard facilities. More direct services between Liverpool and Llandudno, and between Liverpool and Cardiff via Wrexham, will be introduced by December 2022.
There are also plans for a third Metro scheme in Wales, which covers Swansea Bay and West Wales. It will aim to increase capacity on services to West Wales and between South West Wales and Manchester, with a first-class service between Swansea and Manchester available from 2024.
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