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South Wales Metro

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South Wales Metro
South Wales Metro logo
Transport for Wales, the transport authority
Transport for Wales, the transport authority
Class 398 at the Metro Depot and Control Centre in Taffs Well.
Class 398 at the Metro Depot and Control Centre in Taffs Well.
Overview
Native nameMetro De Cymru
OwnerNetwork Rail
Transport for Wales
LocaleSouth East Wales
Transit typeCommuter rail, Rapid transit tram-train, Bus, BRT
Number of lines9
Number of stations94[1]
Chief executiveJames Price
HeadquartersQED Centre Main Avenue
Treforest Industrial Estate
Pontypridd CF37 5YR
Websitehttps://tfw.wales/projects/metro/south-wales-metro
Operation
Operation will startEnd of 2024[2]
Operator(s)Transport for Wales Rail
CharacterGrade-separated (present)
At-grade street running (proposed)
Number of vehicles36 tram-trains[2]
Technical
System length105 miles 10 chains (105.13 mi; 169.2 km) [2]
No. of tracksDouble track
Track gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

The South Wales Metro (Welsh: Metro De Cymru) is an integrated heavy rail, light rail and bus-based public transport services and systems network currently being developed in South East Wales around the hub of Cardiff Central railway station. The first phase was approved for development in October 2013. Works are currently under way, with a new depot under construction at Taff's Well and new trains being built by Stadler Rail in Switzerland. The development will also include the electrification of the core Valley Lines and new stations. All nine lines will be electrified, and the service is expected to be in operation by the end of 2024.

Background

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The rail-based transport system in South Wales was heavily cut down following the Beeching report. By the 1970s, Wales kept less than half of the track it had in 1914.[3] There were closures of some lines and many sub-branches, mainly serving the ex-mining communities, and their easy links to ports and resorts on the coast. Since 1987, five of the main closures have been reversed: services were reinstated on Cardiff's City Line that year, the Aberdare Line the following year, the Maesteg Line in 1992, the Vale of Glamorgan Line between Barry and Bridgend in 2005, and the Ebbw Vale Line in 2008.

Development

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In February 2011, Cardiff Business Partnership (CBP) and the Institute of Welsh Affairs published a report by Professor Mark Barry of Cardiff University, calling for an investment of £2.5 billion over ten years to connect Cardiff, Newport and the South Wales Valleys.[4] The report concluded that with the stated investment in a regional metro system, by 2025 it would be possible to travel from the Heads of the Valleys to Cardiff or Newport in 40 minutes, by combining electrified heavy rail and light rail systems and boosted by faster rail links to London and Heathrow Airport.[5][4]

After the Welsh Government, supported by parties including a CBP team led by Mark Barry, lobbied at Westminster for the extension of the Great Western Main Line electrification programme west to Swansea, and north into the South Wales Valleys, Barry developed a more detailed blueprint plan for Cardiff. After internal consultation, this was submitted by CBP to the Welsh Government's Business Minister Edwina Hart in December 2012.[6] The scheme proposed a £200 million investment in a Cardiff cross-rail scheme based on trams, between St Mellons in the east via Cardiff Central, south into Cardiff Bay, north to Coryton, converting a number of Valley Lines heavy rail routes to light rail, and a new route north-west via Ely and Radyr Court to the M4 motorway near Creigiau.[6]

From Autumn 2012, Barry led the private sector Metro Consortium, with the common aim of promoting the South Wales Metro project, which included representatives from Capita, Jones Lang LaSalle, The Urbanists and Steer Davies Gleave. They produced a further interim report, "A Cardiff City Region Metro: transform | regenerate | connect" published in February 2013. Hart then commissioned Barry to lead a more detailed analysis of the potential benefits: The Metro Impact Study of October 2013.[7] This more substantive report concluded that an initial £1 billion investment in an integrated metro transport network for South East Wales could, within 30 years, add 420,000 people to the network, create 7,000 new jobs and invest an additional £4 billion into the regional economy.[8]

In October 2013, after Barry had submitted his report to Hart at the end of summer 2013, the Business Minister endorsed the report. She allocated £62 million for phase one of the scheme to improve bus and rail links, including rail infrastructure improvements, station upgrades, park and ride schemes, bus corridors, and walking and cycling schemes.[9] She also set up a working group to examine detailed proposals for the potential subsequent stages of the Cardiff Capital Region Metro system.[10]

In 2024, Barry documented his recollections of the advocacy and development of the Cardiff Capital Region (or South Wales) Metro from 2010-2024, in his book, How to build a Metro.[11]

Implementation

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Llandaf station sign with interim Metro branding, July 2017

Former First Minister Carwyn Jones formally launched the South Wales Metro in November 2015, with the Welsh Government setting out its aspirations for the Metro in its November 2015 publication, "Rolling Out Our Metro".[12]

Procurement for the Metro began in July 2016, as part of the procurement process for the next Wales & Borders franchise. This was managed by Transport for Wales.[13] This concluded in May 2018, with the awarding of the franchise to KeolisAmey Wales, trading as Transport for Wales Rail Services, from 14 October 2018.[14]

Details of the £5 billion investment were announced in June 2018. All of Wales' rail services were to be run over 15 years by two European companies jointly.[15]

In October 2018, £119 million of funding was obtained from the European Union to support the modernisation plans.[16] In January 2019, a new report had proposed several new schemes such as a rail link to Abertillery.[17]

In August 2019, it was announced that work on the project would be delayed due to "unresolved issues", particularly around maintenance cost estimates,[18] which are preventing sale of the freehold land, buildings, and operational assets, by current owner Network Rail to the Welsh Ministers.[18] The deal would require approval from the Office of Rail & Road before contractor KeolisAmey Wales could undertake work including electrification and other improvements.[18] The project faced a deadline of 2022 for some work, as the work would need to meet the deadline for the £159 million in awarded European Regional Development funding, which will not be available after that date due to Brexit.[18]

It was announced that work on the project would start on 3 August 2020, beginning with track improvements on lines to Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Treherbert.[19] These lines would operate as a rail replacement service between 8 pm and 5 am until December 2020, except on Fridays and Saturdays.[19] The phase two works were scheduled to be completed by 2023.[19]

Total cost of South Wales metro part 1 has been cited by the Welsh government as £88.5 million in a brochure on the development.[20]

The total cost of South Wales Metro part 2 is estimated to be £738 million; this includes "electrification of the CVL; double tracking of selected route sections; a direct connection from the Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil lines to Cardiff Bay; and a new train stabling facility at Taff’s Well". In addition, £800 million will be invested in rolling stock, bring the phase two total to £1.54 billion.[21]

New fleet

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Transport for Wales Class 231 & 756 Stadler Flirt 3 Car Diagram
Transport for Wales Class 231 & 756 Stadler FLIRT 3 Car Diagram

The fleet operating the South Wales Metro will consist of Stadler Rail's FLIRT and Citylink families. Class 231 bi-mode trainsets and Class 756 tri-mode trainsets will operate on conventional railways, while Class 398 battery-electric tram-trains will operate on both on-street tracks and conventional railways.[22]

By 2021, TfW had taken delivery of two Class 231s.[23] The remaining trainsets were planned to be delivered by 2023.[24]

Proposed network

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Existing rail network

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Current proposals

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Former proposals

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These routes were planned to be developed as high-speed bus routes or light rail/tram-based services – however, they are not currently part of the Metro plans:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Valleys & Cardiff Local Routes
  2. ^ a b c "What is the South Wales Metro and when will it be done?". BBC. 31 May 2024.
  3. ^ Davies, John (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. RAILWAYS. ISBN 9780708319536. Retrieved 25 August 2023 – via Credo Reference. Financial losses led to the Beeching Report of 1963, which was followed by the closure of many lines and stations. Indeed, by the 1970s, Wales had only 1381 km of railway track compared with 3500 km in 1914.
  4. ^ a b Barry, Mark. "A Metro for Wales' Capital City Region: Connecting Cardiff, Newport and the Valleys" (PDF). Institute of Welsh Affairs. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  5. ^ "South east Wales 'needs £2.5bn metro rail network'". BBC Wales. 1 February 2011. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Cardiff 'crossrail' proposals by business lobby". BBC Wales. 31 December 2012. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  7. ^ Welsh Government 2013,"Metro Impact Study https://www.gov.wales/south-wales-metro-impact-study /
  8. ^ Kelsey, Chris (22 October 2013). "Edwina Hart gives backing to Cardiff Capital Region Metro system". South Wales Echo. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  9. ^ Kelsey, Chris (22 October 2013). "Edwina Hart gives backing to Cardiff Capital Region Metro system". South Wales Echo. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Plans show the potential of metro network". ITV Wales. 11 October 2013. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  11. ^ Barry, 2024, "How to build a Metro" One view of the collective effort behind the advocacy and development of the Cardiff Capital Region Metro (or South Wales Metro) https://cardiffmetro.wales/
  12. ^ https://gov.wales/docs/det/publications/160224-metro-information-brochure-en.pdf [dead link‍]
  13. ^ "South Wales Metro consultation to begin". Railway Gazette International. 30 November 2015. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  14. ^ "New £5bn contract to run Wales' trains". BBC News. 23 May 2018. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Wales' rail and Metro franchise to be run by KeolisAmey". BBC News. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Funding secured for South West Metro project". Railway Gazette International. 4 October 2018. Archived from the original on 5 October 2018. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
  17. ^ "Cardiff Capital Region City Deal: Appraisal Of Metro Plus RTA Programme, Final Report" (PDF). January 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 November 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022.
  18. ^ a b c d "Network Rail launches sale of Cardiff Valley Lines | Railnews". www.railnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 5 September 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  19. ^ a b c "Evening rail disruption as Metro works begin". BBC News. 10 July 2020. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Metro Rolling out our metro" (PDF).
  21. ^ on behalf of Transport for Wales, Stantec. "Evaluation of South Wales Metro Phase 2" (PDF).
  22. ^ "Our new trains | Transport for Wales". Transport for Wales. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  23. ^ "FLIRTs have been delivered to Transport for Wales". RailAdvent. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  24. ^ "South Wales Metro ECI contracts awarded". Retrieved 16 July 2019. Archived 17 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine
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