Metro

How a small village on Cardiff's outskirts could be at the heart of the £5bn South Wales Metro

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/b ... d-12472787

he village of Taffs Well could be at the heart of the £5bn South Wales Metro project as the location for a huge park and ride facility.

It comes after the Welsh Government Welsh recently acquired a major industrial site, that includes the former Forgemasters engineering plant, opposite Taffs Well train station.


Aerial showing the Garth Works and Estate site at Taffs Well
The 10-acre Garth Works and Estate site - where as well as the 200,000 sq ft Forgemasters operation, which closed in the 1980s, there are a number of occupied small business units - also runs alongside the main road route between Cardiff and the Valleys in the A470.


The Garth Works and Estate (Photo: South Wales Echo)
The next phase of the integrated public transport Metro project should by the early 2020s see the Valley Lines electrified with more frequent and faster new rolling stock - mostly likely light rail.

While there are a number options for the Garth Works site, it is understood that the frontrunner is creating a huge Metro park and ride facility.

Such a facility would encourage drivers using the A470 on journeys into Cardiff from the Valleys, and vice visa, to park at Taff Wells and then travel on the Metro.


(Photo: South Wales Echo)
This would be a ‘win-win’ by reducing traffic levels and congestion problems on the A470, particularly during early morning and early evening peak commuting times, as well encouraging more passengers to use the Metro.

The £1.2bn City Deal has finally been signed off today by all 10 councils, £734m of which has been ring fenced for the South Wales Metro. No excuses now, let's get this built!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/b ... w-12672042

The £1.2bn City Deal has finally been signed off today by all 10 councils, £734m of which has been ring fenced for the South Wales Metro. No excuses now, let's get this built!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/b ... w-12672042

I really hope so. I've been spending some time lately using different Metro systems around Europe, the opportunities that something like this could bring to Cardiff and the wider area cannot be overstated.

It's a shame we're not taking about some underground lines. Many of the earliest underground lines (notable the Bakerloo line) aren't that deep and could be put under the roads using a cut-and-cover technique. It won't happen, but I can't help but think it would be better than trying to squeeze trams down narrow streets full of parked cars.

While out last night there were roads works on the A470 (closed) A4232 (at J33 closed) diverson via J32 had road works.
Signs on the motorway saying M4 west J33 to J35 was also closed.

Even the diversion on the diversion on A48 at Ely Bridge had road works.

Councils won't put in contra flows any more, easier and cheaper to put up lots of yellow sign saying this road will be closed for 5 nights 7pm to 6am etc.
So much for keeping Wales moving!!

I always thought the Bakerloo line along with the northern line was one of the deepest underground.

I always thought the Bakerloo line along with the northern line was one of the deepest underground.

Me too. But regardless of this, underground systems are insanely expensive.

I think it depends where you are, or perhaps I'm mixing it up with the district line. Problem is, some of the sections of lines have changed names. Regardless, the earliest ones are just below street/basement level. The early subway lines in New York are also similar, meaning you don't need massive tunnel boring machines to cut out a tunnel.

I know they're expensive and they won't happen any time soon in Cardiff, but other small cities do have them and it would nice to have a couple of lines just through the central part.

Would it be possible to build a hybrid system? By that I mean a tram network that goes underground only when necessary. It would only need to do this in the inner city and possibly to the West where housing is more dense and the roads narrower. Elsewhere, an overground tram network would be sufficient and in some ways the better option.

That would be ideal - that way we can pave over the dual carriageway outside city hall and turn it into a decent space for concerts and visitors.

Metro procurement already in progress and focussed on current valley line rail network - major transformation/conversion likely. No talk of tunnels or extensive street running at this stage....


https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL144353


http://gov.wales/topics/transport/transport-for-wales/procurement/?lang=en