A cross-border team from England and Wales will be set up to help develop plans for a North East Wales Metro system, the Welsh government has announced.
The new metro system will cover multiple modes of transport including bus and rail. Plans were revealed by the Welsh government in its Moving North Wales Forward - Our Vision for North Wales and the North East Wales Metro report.
Although routes are not yet set, the metro will be designed to create better connections in North East Wales and across the border with the rest of the UK, as around 1M people currently cross the border each month.
North East Metro Wales
Source: Welsh government
Although the route is not set, this is the outline for the North East Wales Metro.
“I am proud to launch our vision for a fully integrated North East Wales Metro system which will transform transport links in North East Wales,” said Wales’ economy and infrastructure secretary Ken Skates.
“This will be supported by our ongoing work on the future of local bus services, and by the new Wales and borders rail franchise which will be in place from 2018.”
Around £50M has been allocated by the Welsh Government to develop metro plans over the next five years. A South Wales Metro is already being developed to better link cities with surrounding towns and villages.
Phase One has started with station upgrades across South Wales. The majority of works will take place in Phase Two, which starts this year. It will focus on modernising the Valley Lines and South Wales rail networks, and is due to finish in 2023.
The North East Wales Metro metro will only cover North East Wales because it is more densely populated than North West Wales. However North West Wales is receiving investment through projects such as the third Menai crossing, linking Anglesey to the mainland.
Last year Wales set up its own National Infrastructure Commission to direct £1bn of transport investments it will make over the next five years.
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