Metro

As part of current CVL programme the bay line is being double tracked, will be de-designated from mainline and defined as tramway and will operate 6tph tram-trains from Pontypridd and beyond. Corssrail Phase 1 (funded) covers the connection to the bay line at its northern end and the route across Callaghan Sq (at grade) to Central and the new platforms. All TAM and Crossrail services will be using Tram-trains. Future operation inc links to the throat at Cardiff West and onto Pierhead St and beyond ..we need to fix city and Coryton lines first for >4tph operation!

To 'fix' the City & Coryton lines, what is actually needed is an increase in capacity at Cardiff West junction - a flyover to seperate the Penarth & Barry routes from the east-west traffic using City Line (and beyond).

The flyover should be designed for tram-trains not heavy rail so should drastically reduce engineering costs (due to steeper gradients)

Cardiff West been subject to some initial work.... there is a more immediate tactical option to increase City line capacity and a longer-term grade separation option adopting "tramway Stds (although initial work suggests a dive under maybe better/easier than flyover. ) Watch this space...

Interesting - but I am curious as to why a 'dive under' woukd be better option than a flyover?
I am an engineer and it is always more expensive to dig down than build up - tunnels are usually built for aesthetic reasons which doesnt seem likely considering the location.....

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wale ... t-28596020

So ONE YEAR after the £100m was announced there are some consultants being hired. What a joke.

Could be many more years before any spades hit the ground. This should have been designed already.

I dont think you understand how infrastructure projects are built.... these are not clipboard carrying management consultants beloved by the civil services etc....

At the moment this line is just an outline concept, with lots of options. The options need to be identified, screened and selected.The chosen option needs to be incorporated into relevant Masterplans and route frozen. Various engineering studies then need to be completed including geotechnical, environmental, traffic etc, and only then can you start on the detailed engineering work - sufficiently detailed to allow tendering process and construction contractor to be appointed.

This work has to be completed in stages (by Engineering Consultants) and takes 3-5 years (or more depending on complexity) and costs around 10% of the project cost.

I take your point, maybe not designed, but this has been sat on for a year. Not very dynamic.

Lots of work going....the idea that a) this has been sat on for a year or b) just needs some guys with shovels to crack on with it, is a little naïve.

I haven't said anything about 'needs some guys with shovels to crack on' and it has been sat on for a year if consultants are just being appointed. Maybe the funds weren't confirmed by the government until later, who knows?