Rolling out Our Metro Gov.Wales/Metro the Purpose of This Document Is to Begin a Public Engagement on Our Developing Metro Proposals

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Rolling out our Metro gov.wales/metro The purpose of this document is to begin a public engagement on our developing Metro proposals. The details presented are illustrative and for public information only. They do not provide confirmation of any specific schemes, nor do they restrict or constrain our procurement strategy or what bidders may propose in any procurement process. Introduction Contents Vision 06 Key features 08 Economic impact 09 Key components 10 Project delivery – The Welsh Government Transport Company 10

Evidence base The Cardiff Capital Region 11 Economic and demographic profile 12 Transport constraints 13 Economic opportunities through enhanced connectivity 13 Implications 13

Objectives and outcomes Metro transport objectives 14 Metro transport outcomes 14

Modes and technologies Metro: A multi-modal and integrated transport network 15 Traditional diesel and electric heavy rail 15 Potential for light rail 15 Potential for bus rapid transit 16 Integration 16

What are we doing? Metro Phase 1 18 Metro Phase 2 20 Further Metro phases 22

Timescales 26

Metro branding and transport livery Merthyr Treherbert Hirwaun Tydl Rhymney Ebbw Vale Town Abergavenny

Blaenavon Pontlottyn Ynyswen Pentrebach Aberdare Ebbw Vale Tir–Phil Parkway Treorchy Troed y Rhiw Cwmbach Brithdir

Ton Pentre Fernhill Merthyr Vale Bargoed Blackwood Abertillery Pontypool & New Inn Gilfach Fargoed Ystrad Rhondda Mountain Ash Quakers Yard Pengam Llanhilleth Llwynpia Penrhiwceiber Ystrad Crumlin Treharris Tredomen Mynach Hengoed Tonypandy Newbridge

Dinas Rhondda Abercynon Nelson Cross Keys Cwmbran Llanbradach Porth Trehafod Pontypridd Treforest Energlyn Treforest Estate Aber Risca Ta s Well Coryton Danescourt Caerphilly Whitchurch Maesteg Rogerstone Caerleon Rhiwbina Radyr Bedwas Ewenny Rd Birchgrove Lisvane Llanda & Thornhill Monmouth Ty Glas Garth Llanishen Fairwater Gabalfa Creigiau Celtic Pye Corner Tondu Cathays Heath HL/LL Springs Llantrisant Waungron Roath Park Cardi Chepstow Sarn Park Malpas Crwys Rd Gate CARDIFF Wildmill Talbot Green Newport Celtic CENTRAL QUEEN ST Manor West NEWPORT BRIDGEND Llanharan Magor

Brackla Pencoed Pontyclun Newport Rd St Mellons Severn Tunnel Llanwern Junction Ely Ninian Herbert St Mill Park Butetown

Cardi Bay Royal Culverhouse Grangetown Gwent Cross Porth Teigr Cogan Rhoose Barry Cadoxton Eastbrook Dingle Rd

Penarth Llantwit Cardi Barry Dinas Porthcawl Major Airport Docks Powys Barry Island Rolling out our Metro our out Rolling 04 — Merthyr Treherbert Hirwaun Tydl Rhymney Ebbw Vale Town Abergavenny

Blaenavon Pontlottyn Ynyswen Pentrebach Aberdare Ebbw Vale Tir–Phil Parkway Treorchy Troed y Rhiw Cwmbach Brithdir

Brackla Pencoed Pontyclun Newport Rd St Mellons Severn Tunnel Llanwern Junction Ely Ninian Herbert St Mill Park Butetown

Cardi Bay Royal Culverhouse Grangetown Gwent Cross Porth Teigr Cogan Rhoose Barry Cadoxton Eastbrook Dingle Rd

Penarth Llantwit Cardi Barry Dinas Porthcawl Major Airport Docks Powys Barry Island

Figure 1 – The potential Metro network Vision also shape our region’s our identity. shape also will It effect. environmental and economic social, positive the economy. It will have a help transform and together linkpassengers, communities Metro will bring benefits to rail. light and using buses trains, services frequent joined-up and more faster, provide will It Region. Capital Cardiff the around travel that will transform the way we Metro is anew transport system 06— Rolling out our Metro

Key “The Metro will be a features catalyst for transforming the economic and social prospects of South East Wales and the country as a whole.”

The Cardiff Capital Region Metro will deliver real benefits to passengers. The network can grow through new services, routes and stations to connect population centres that are, at present, poorly served by regional public transport. This will boost economic development and regeneration across the region.

High frequencies An extendable network Metro will run at least four services A vital part of the Metro vision is that the an hour across the entire network network can grow to make it even more when needed, and even more at the accessible. New stations, new routes, network core. This gives a ‘turn up greater frequencies — in the future, and go’ experience for passengers. the network can extend to bring better Metro will also deliver a network where public transport to more communities interchange is easy, using vehicles and economic centres. It is a truly designed for speed and capacity. regional project.

Integration Enabling development and Heavy rail, light rail, bus or active travel regeneration (cycling and walking) – all of these will Metro stations will provide better be seamlessly joined to give integrated, passenger facilities and become a focal reliable and frequent services across point for their communities. Metro also the region. This transformation in presents an opportunity for developers sustainable urban mobility and increased and local authorities, in partnership accessibility will have a profound with transport organisations. Together, impact. It will have positive social, they can adopt a ‘transit-oriented economic and environmental effects. development’ approach, directing It will also shape the region’s identity. development and regeneration to Metro transport corridors and their key stations and interchanges. Rolling out our Metro our out Rolling 08— The Cardiff Capital Region Metro is Some of these benefits were explored Economic more than just a transport system. It is a in the 2013 Metro Impact Study. They catalyst for transforming the economic include: direct economic benefits impact and social prospects of South East Wales through easier access to employment and the country as a whole. Enhancing across the region; agglomerative benefits connectivity across the region will bring (ie, clusters of firms interacting with each a wide range of benefits. other); development and regeneration benefits on key corridors and around key stations; environmental and sustainability benefits. Enhanced connectivity is also needed to support population growth and to tackle increasing road congestion, especially in Cardiff.

10 local authority areas of the Cardiff Capital Region

Blaenau Gwent Monmouthshire Merthyr Tydfil

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Vale of Glamorgan Metro is likely to comprise some, or all, The Valley Lines Electrification (VLE) Key of these elements: project has been integrated into the Metro programme as the Valley Lines — An electrified rail system Modernisation (VLM) scheme. components — Integrated transport hubs — Park-and-ride facilities Metro is a long-term incremental — New (including some on-street) light programme. It will deliver benefits as rail and/or bus rapid transit routes efficiently as possible. This may mean — Better integration of services across that on some routes an initial investment modes and operators in improving capacity and service — Active travel interventions frequency to achieve Metro objectives will be the priority. Enhanced services on the Valley Lines Metro Phase 1 (£77million) has already are a core part of the project. made improvements, and significant This scope of Metro includes all the progress has been made on the next lines in and north of Cardiff, the Vale phase of the project. of Glamorgan line, the Ebbw Valley and Maesteg branches, the Marches line to Abergavenny and the South Wales mainline.

We have established the Welsh In June 2015, the Minister for Economy, Project delivery – Government Transport Company, a Science and Transport announced not-for-dividend company that is wholly that we intend to award an integrated The Welsh owned by the Welsh Government. contract for both the Wales and Borders Known as ‘Transport for Wales’, the franchise and Metro, in 2017. This will Government company will provide support and enable us to maximise reinvestment into expertise to deliver the next Wales and the railway and deliver excellent services. Borders rail franchise, and the next phase Transport In a statement to Plenary in March 2015, of the Metro project. The First Minister said, ‘This is a game- Company In June 2015, we began a market-testing changing project and it cannot be done exercise on our emerging proposals. in a half-hearted way. It’s got to be done This is allowing potential bidders, rolling properly … we fully understand this is a stock operators, maintenance operators, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could financiers and interested parties to transform the economic prospects of up explore and discuss the new franchise to one million people in Wales.’ and Metro direct with the Welsh As we develop our procurement Government. This engagement with strategy, we aim to reflect this ambition. industry is an important first step before We are taking an ‘outcome and output’ we start a formal procurement process. approach: we will tell the industry what This industry dialogue is helping us to we want in terms of better access to jobs develop our understanding of the most and services, long-term transformational efficient delivery structure. We believe economic effects, more frequent and that this approach will yield innovative faster services, better quality, and solutions. There are many different environmental improvements. options available, including heavy rail, This gives bidders the maximum light rail and bus rapid transit. These opportunity to innovate, and to propose may be better value, and deliver better solutions that may be different to some outcomes, than the original concept for of those presented here. Valley Lines electrification. This approach also requires innovation in the relationship between Welsh Government, Network Rail and the UK Government, in specifying and delivering rail services in Wales. Rolling out our Metro our out Rolling 10 — The Cardiff Capital Region Evidence The Cardiff Capital Region is already To grow its economy, there is a vibrant economic entity with some widespread recognition that the Cardiff base striking features and capabilities. Capital Region needs major investment It houses the largest TV production in its infrastructure to help it play a centre outside London. Its financial bigger role in the UK economy. A services sector is growing rapidly. A regional approach, underpinned by a major international convention centre transformation in public transport, will is being developed in Newport. It help to fulfil this ambition, enabling has hosted global events such as the the Cardiff Capital Region to raise its Ryder Cup and NATO conference. international profile and compete Cardiff University now ranks in the top more effectively on the world stage. five UK Higher Education institutions for research. We also have in South East Wales a geography and green infrastructure that is unique for an urban environment in the UK.

Left to right: Gloworks studios in Cardiff Bay, British Airways Maintenance Cardiff at St Athan Cardiff Castle with the Millennium Stadium in the background

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Swan S Rolling out our Metro our out Rolling 12 — Economic and demographic profile Transport constraints The population of the Cardiff Capital Our proposals for Metro reflect some of The study also identified a range Region will grow from 1.5million to more the current constraints on the regional of transport-related development than 1.6million over the next 15 years1. transport network (Figure 2). opportunities across the region, where Much of this increase will be in Cardiff, better connectivity would enhance the The Metro Impact Study2 identified that which is growing more quickly than any economic impact. This analysis has the largest and most densely populated other UK ‘core city’. The city’s current recently been updated, and is helping communities, that are also poorly served population is just over 350,000, but to shape the development of Metro. by rail are in suburban Cardiff and is likely to exceed 430,000 by 2030. Newport, parts of Cwmbran, Blackwood, The findings of this analysis reflect Overall, Cardiff will have grown by nearly east of Caerphilly, upper Blaenau Gwent those of the UK Government report by 50% in the first 30 years of this century. and lower Rhondda Cynon Taf. Sir Rod Eddington5, which identified a While Cardiff’s economic performance lack of capacity on transport networks, The study also identified that the rail is ahead of the wider city region, it is still particularly in the UK’s principal city network north of Cardiff is constrained not performing as well as many other UK regions, as a major impediment to by single-track sections at the network cities. For example, its GVA per capita business investment and growth. To periphery, and that there are signalling (for Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan) tackle these problems, and reduce the and infrastructure limitations at the of approximately 100% of the UK average cost of congestion and unreliability to core of the network. Together, these is some way below cities like Edinburgh, the economy, Eddington recommended make it very difficult to run more Bristol, Nottingham and Belfast, whose that central and local government frequent services, extend lines, or GVA per capita are greater than 110% of should focus on travel-to-work patterns create new stations. the UK average. in urban areas which make the biggest Even without these ambitious Metro contribution to the economy and are Cardiff’s economic performance is proposals, patronage on the rail network growing most rapidly. generally not replicated across the is forecast to grow. Network Rail’s Route region. In some Valleys communities, In March 2015, the Cardiff Capital Study3 for Wales has identified that GVA per capita is less than 60% of Region Board published its report, demand for rail has grown from 20m the UK average. Even when factoring Powering the Welsh Economy. It said, passenger journeys in 2004/2005 to in commuting, a regional figure of ‘Successful city regions have high- 30m today and on the valley lines alone, approximately 80% of the UK average performing integrated transport systems growth of 76% to 2023 is forecast. is still low in UK terms. that allow for the seamless and efficient The primary points of road congestion flow of people and goods, feeding key This means that the economic challenge in the region are on the M4 around hubs (employment, residential and isn’t just about enhancing Cardiff’s Newport, the M4 to the north west of recreational) effectively and supporting economic potential. It is also about Cardiff between J32 and J34, and the sustained economic growth.’ addressing economic inactivity in some A470 approaching Cardiff. There is also Valleys communities and helping the The European Union has also highlighted urban congestion in Cardiff itself (which wider city region. the importance of Urban Mobility6 to the is likely to increase significantly, based economy, especially in cities and city We need more and higher value on population projections). regions. It has identified better, smarter employment across the whole region. The Metro proposals complement the and more integrated urban transport as a Welsh Government’s M4 ‘Corridor key policy objective to tackle congestion around Newport’ project, which will and pollution, and to help economic address the long-standing problems growth and employment. on the motorway gateway to Wales. The M4 project will improve access Implications to international markets and, through An investment in the capacity and carefully planned junctions, link with reach of the South East Wales transport Metro to provide an efficient integrated network could help support not just transport system that improves our more employment across the region, but nation’s economic competitiveness and more ‘higher value’ employment. This is encourages jobs and growth. especially true of Cardiff, which is more able to attract and retain these activities. Economic opportunities through More importantly, Metro will improve enhanced connectivity access to employment across the whole In October 2013, The Metro Impact of South East Wales. This will make it Study4 presented a vision of a dynamic, easier for people across the region (for connected, and liveable city region. A example, in Pontypridd, Merthyr Tydfil once-in-a-generation Metro programme and Ebbw Vale) to access employment could bring major economic benefits opportunities anywhere in the region to the Cardiff Capital Region. It could and for businesses to relocate to the provide the basis for greater social upper valleys. This will enable the whole equality and sustainable economic region to function more effectively as development. The study estimated that an economic entity. over 30 years the region could benefit from 7,000 more jobs and a further £8bn into its economy.

1 Stats Wales population projections, Office for National Statistics http://bit.ly/1KTC9Wj 2 The Metro Impact Study, October 2013 3 Network Rail, Wales Route Study 2015 4 Welsh Government Cardiff Capital Region Metro http://bit.ly/1NOm7lc 5 The Eddington Transport Study, 2006 6 European Commission, Urban Mobility and Transport http://bit.ly/1MEaNec The following objectives and outcomes Objectives and have been established for Metro: Metro transport objectives Metro transport outcomes Outcomes — Deliver a high-quality, reliable, — Reduced generalised journey times efficient, economically sustainable through faster, more frequent services transport network and better interchange — Improve connectivity, linking — Increased public transport patronage communities with all major through provision of more attractive commercial, social and leisure services attractors, enabling the region — Reduced operating and maintenance to function as a single coherent costs through greater efficiencies and economic entity higher demand — Improve accessibility to public — Capacity to meet demand during peak transport within city and town centres periods and special events — Provide comparable journey times — Accessibility improvements through across public and private transport coordination of services, Disability modes, offering realistic travel choices Discrimination Act compliance and — Cater for increasing demand for public station design transport — Reduced emissions through lower car — Reduce the impact of transport on the use and more efficient, cleaner transit environment vehicles — Encourage active travel and social — Direct services between main inclusion initiatives residential areas and economic centres to improve connectivity — Improved quality of service through newer vehicles, better integration and enhanced services — Better reliability in terms of availability and punctuality of services

These, and specific measures and targets, are being used to develop a more detailed specification for the procurement process.

Table 1 – Key benefits of heavy rail v light rail v bus rapid transit

HR Heavy Rail LR Light Rail BRT Bus Rapid Transit

Better suited to longer inter-urban Suited to shorter urban and inter-urban Suited to shorter routes with close routes and large station spacings routes with close station stops station stops (less than LR)

Suited to serving large Can support large/medium-sized Better suited to lower density population centres population centres corridors than HR and LR

Longer trains able to deliver Typically lower capital cost than Can have lower capital cost profile more capacity HR for new routes for new routes than HR and LR

Well established industry and delivery More easily extended than HR More easily extended than HR and LR capability

More flexible operations so easier More flexible operations so easier to match capacity to demand to match capacity to demand Metro – A multi-modal and integrated Modes and transport network The Welsh Government is committed Because of their very fast and technologies to delivering best value for the taxpayer frequent services, light rail systems by incentivising the market to innovate can experience dramatic increases in in its choice of routes, services and patronage. Such networks can then be technologies. The network will be extended more easily and affordably. future-proofed so that it can be This is the model so successfully applied expanded in future. in Manchester over the last 25 years with its regional Metrolink light rail network. We are considering a number of different modes, including traditional A light rail solution could form the heavy rail (diesel and/or electric), light basis of an extendable network. In fact, rail and bus rapid transit (see Table 1). without it, given the constraints of the current heavy rail network, it would be We have appraised the options, but it very difficult to extend the rail network will be up to the market to propose the to support the urban expansion of Cardiff solution that best satisfies our objectives. to the north west and into Rhondda Cynon Taf, or provide new/additional Traditional diesel and electric heavy rail services to places like Nelson, Hirwaun, We expect that much of the current Heath Hospital and Crwys Road. Valley Lines network will remain purely heavy rail with electric (EMU) and/or However, this analysis will not prejudice diesel (DMU) rolling stock. This is most the procurement process, which may likely on the Ebbw Valley, Maesteg and result in alternative innovations to meet Vale of Glamorgan lines. our requirements. Increased capacity and frequency Potential for bus rapid transit enhancements on these routes, Bus rapid transit (BRT) is a bus-based combined with better rolling system that uses dedicated and/or stock, will significantly improve prioritised highway space, similar to passenger experience. European-style segregated busways. Heavy rail innovations, such as battery- BRT uses high-quality stops, off-vehicle powered trains, digital signalling ticketing and high-frequency services and ‘tram-train’, may also provide that are integrated into a wider regional opportunities to deliver more frequent transit network. It is best suited to new and flexible services towards the end routes where population and/or demand of the Metro programme. are too low to support light rail, or where the capital costs of rail are too high. Potential for light rail Manchester is also implementing BRT Light rail offers a number of unique services for corridors that are best suited features in urban and suburban to it. There will be parts of the Cardiff transport. Light rail vehicles (or trams) Capital Region, where neither heavy nor can carry large numbers of people light rail is practical in the medium term, (200-400) and move easily, either on where BRT could deliver Metro services. traditional railway track or on rails placed in streets.

Potential rail vehicle We are already exploring the potential As stated above, there are statutory, Modes and for BRT in Newport. As the Metro project legislative, commercial and institutional evolves, we will explore the potential for barriers to overcome. Where voluntary technologies BRT elsewhere in the region. arrangements cannot deliver a solution, a degree of re-regulation may be needed. The scope and timing of any BRT services are likely to be constrained by There are very substantial legal and the regulatory framework within which institutional obstacles to achieving this buses operate. aim in the UK outside London. Despite this, many UK cities have put measures Integration in place (such as Statutory Quality The essence of Metro is that it is an Partnerships) which aim to overcome integrated network. However, at some of these problems. present, there is limited integration The Cardiff Capital Region has the between the various public transport extra feature of two major bus operators in the region. This will be the companies which are owned by their biggest challenge of the Cardiff Capital municipalities (Cardiff Bus and Newport Region Metro. Bus), as well as a significant private This is a demanding ambition. Only two sector presence from major groups fully integrated, multi-modal public (Stagecoach and First Bus), as well transport systems have ever existed in as independent bus operators. All these the UK: Transport for London, and the organisations will need to contribute Tyne and Wear Metro system between to our integration plans. 1980 and 1985, when bus operations outside London were deregulated. Metro will ultimately require a far greater integration of the planning and operation of the region’s bus networks.

Metro smart card Metro one-day pass Second Severn Crossing on the Eastern border of the Region Metro Phase 1 What are We are already delivering a £77million Other Phase 1 projects have been or will investment in a package of Metro Phase be delivered: 1 infrastructure improvements (Figure 3). we doing? — A new station at Pye Corner This includes the new Ebbw Vale Town — Rail and bus station improvements station, which was opened by the First across the region (eg Newport) Minister on 11 June. — Bus corridor schemes focused on the A470 corridor from north Cardiff to Our £11.5million investment in this Rhondda Cynon Taf project not only provides a new and — Active travel and park-and-ride improved station, but also an extension schemes and speed improvements to the railway

track which will allow extra services to To develop an effective regional be introduced in the future. transport network, it is essential to The Ebbw Valley line is very popular, have robust planning/modelling tools with around 800,000 journeys annually. to create the right infrastructure. The Our investment ensures that even more Welsh Government is already investing people can use the service in future. significant resources to achieve this. This is a first step towards delivering a truly integrated transport network.

Potential Metro station design

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What are we doing?

Metro Phase 2 — Rhymney, Coryton and Bay line — Newport Rapid Transit to provide We are doing further detailed work infrastructure and operational enhanced public transport services to design, develop and evaluate a enhancements to enable more across the city, linking with the rail programme of delivery for Metro Phase frequent and faster services network and key locations such as 2 (Figure 4). (Figure 5) Celtic Manor, Celtic Springs, etc — Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr — Further enhancements are also We will undertake a procurement line infrastructure and operational anticipated on the Maesteg lines and process to deliver the project as part of enhancements to enable more to services on the Vale of Glamorgan the re-letting of the Wales and Borders frequent and faster services lines to Rhoose/Cardiff Airport franchise. — In addition, on the core Valleys, we We will use an ‘output-based’ evaluation are considering extra stations and This programme could provide the basis process for the procurement, which conversion of some sections of freight of an extendable Metro network and one gives bidders the maximum opportunity line. For example, this could include which would transform the economic to innovate. This may result in proposed Hirwaun, Nelson, Crwys Road, potential of the region. interventions that may differ from those Gabalfa, Wedal Road, Treharris and As we go through procurement, it may set out below. additional stations on the Bay branch be possible to establish new stations – (Figure 6) Within Metro Phase 2, based on the for example, along relief lines between — Enhanced intermodal facilities and analysis we have undertaken, the Cardiff and Severn Tunnel Junction – associated station improvements at following projects are proposed: as set out in the National Transport key locations across the network Finance Plan. — Ebbw Valley line improvements and Abertillery spur. In this context, We will also continue to explore how direct services to Newport from the the current municipal and private bus Ebbw Valley will be considered in operators can be integrated into the the franchise procurement process. wider network. We will also look at how These enhancements could be ticketing and fare integration across all integrated with potential service modes and operators can be improved. improvements on the Marches line Station-based development and to Abergavenny regeneration schemes will also be developed, working with industry and regional partners where applicable.

Current Figure 5 – Illustration of journey times and service frequencies on the core valleys Potential Light Rail

HR 2 tph 2 tph 2 tph 6/7 tph 2 tph 4 tph 6/7 tph 2 tph

LR 3/4 tph 3/4 tph 3/4 tph 10/12 tph 3/4 tph 4/6 tph 6/8 tph 4/6 tph

Journey time in minutes 20

0 Merthyr Aberdare Treherbert Pontypridd Rhymney Bargoed Caerphilly Coryton Potential future phases Consideration will be given to bus rapid What are One of the required features of the transit (BRT) on the network. Initial work Metro programme is its ability to be suggests that BRT may be the answer we doing? extended. We think a number of rail- on key corridors of lower demand where based network extensions could, subject rail would be too expensive. This could to business case and capital funding, include urban routes and some cross- be considered. These include: valley connectivity. The effectiveness of new BRT will be influenced by the level — On-street operations in Cardiff of regulatory powers we have. city centre — Extension of the Bay branch further Beyond the schemes that have been into Cardiff Bay explored set out above, a number of — A direct link from Cardiff Bay to other schemes may merit further study. Cardiff Central station These include (Figure 7 ): — Corridor from Central Cardiff via Further interventions have the potential North West Cardiff/Creigiau to to free up rail capacity on the Vale Rhondda Cynon Taf of Glamorgan line to enable service — To North East and East Cardiff enhancements on that corridor. — Caerphilly to Newport We will also work with rail industry — Hengoed to Maesycwmmer to partners to explore capability and Blackwood capacity enhancements at Cardiff — Coryton to Taffs Wells (or Radyr) Central station. — Further BRT schemes — Other schemes may emerge as the If not delivered as part of Phase 2, a Metro programme develops range of additional heavy rail stations can also be considered. As set out in the National Transport Finance Plan1, these include St Mellons, Newport Road, Llanwern, Newport West, Magor, Caerleon, Ely Mill and Crumlin. The introduction of additional stations on the relief lines could be incorporated into a line speed upgrade of that route.

Figure 6 – Potential Butetown Loudon Square Light Rail stop (from 2013 Metro Impact Study)

1 National Transport Finance Plan http://bit.ly/1Xeyfyy

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SW Swan Further employment accessibility benefits accessibility employment Further Opens up new sites and locations for regeneration and development Further mode shift public to transport Benefits of future phases Rail extensions and further bus integration Major network. Metro of reach extend measures benefitsto places like Cardiff West, Cardiff East, Newport,Penarth Cardiff Bay, and Barry. — — — A range of more ambitious extension can connect places Blackwood, like Bedwas, North West Cardiff/South East RhonddaTaf, Cynon North East Cardiff, Newport, etc. as capital becomes available. This will deliver a truly joined up regional network that will enable a wide range of benefits set out in the 2013 Impact Study. 24 — Rolling out our Metro “This is a game-changing project that could transform the economic prospects of up to one million people in Wales.” Potential Light Rail vehicle Rail Light Potential 26— Rolling out our Metro Metro is a long-term programme. It Metro Phase 1 (2016) Timescales is being developed so that it can be Metro Phase 1 is in progress. The incrementally extended. extension to Ebbw Vale town and further capacity enhancement on that line, as well as other station enhancements across the network, are already complete or in progress.

Metro Phase 2 (2023) Metro Phase 2 will focus on modernising the core Valley Lines and the wider South Wales rail network. This infrastructure work will be integrated with the programme to procure the next Wales and Borders franchise. This will result in a network that enables high-quality and reliable services which can deliver four vehicles per hour across the entire network when needed, with reduced journey times, and the capacity for additional stations and network extensions.

Future Phases (beyond 2023) If Phase 2 contains some form of light rail, then a range of rail-based extensions will be easier to accommodate. This could form the basis of a long-term incremental programme of expansion.

Potential Bus Rapid Transit