Welsh Infrastructure Alliance REPORT BY THE WELSH INFRASDTRUCTURE ALLIANCE (WIA) PRIORITIES FOR TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE IN WALES Introduction This short report from the Wales Infrastructure Alliance (WIA) is a focussed response to the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales’ (NICW) Call for Evidence relating to Transport issues, as set out in their 1st Annual Report “The Future Prosperity and Well-Being of Wales and the role of Infrastructure” published in November 2019. It sets out some general areas for consideration as well as specific responses to Issues 6 to 10 (inclusive) and should be read in conjunction with the WIA’s previous report to the NICW in Autumn 2019. The Welsh Infrastructure Alliance The Welsh Infrastructure Alliance draws together like-minded organisations representing over 600 member companies and over 10,000 individual members from across the infrastructure sector. The Alliance sees itself as a source of advice and potential solutions to enable the deliver “world class” infrastructure in Wales to drive our future wellbeing as a nation. Overview Wales needs a world class, sustainable, integrated and resilient transport network that delivers greater prosperity, keeps Wales connected and provides genuine choices. It must support the well-being of our future generations as well as addressing climate change and the challenge of decarbonising Wales by 2040. The current Climate Change Emergency should not be seen as a reason to not invest in transport infrastructure. It is an opportunity to fundamentally change our infrastructure and prepare ourselves for a world with net zero carbon vehicles across all modes of transport. Insufficient investment in new and existing transport infrastructure, combined with a lack of positive decision-making for major interventions, is the biggest threat to undermining these aspirations and widen the gap between Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom. The challenges we face from the Climate Change Emergency are demanding but not so insurmountable that we should not invest in infrastructure. The future role of Transport for Wales (TfW), particularly in respect of the delivery of infrastructure improvements across all modes, needs to be clearly defined and a clear forward programme of investment published to give certainty and confidence to the public and potential investors. TfW needs to be given sufficient budgets to deliver the programme of improvements needed across all modes. Widespread investment in BIM and digital asset management by the Welsh Government and other public authorities will lead to efficiencies in the operational management of assets and cost savings to owners. The Welsh Government needs Welsh Infrastructure Alliance to adopt the technological advances taken forward by other UK Governments and share best practice. There is potential to take the lead in developing these further due the smaller size and reduced complexity of assets in Wales. The adoption of the rail network in Wales provides both challenges and opportunities for Transport for Wales as the new owner. Future investment in infrastructure needs to focus on increased capacity on the Valleys Lines and improved transport hubs. Wales’ strategic road and rail network appeared to cope with the recent flooding events. However, it is vulnerable and it is unclear how resilient some parts of the network really are to climate change. All forms of Welsh infrastructure are critical to our daily life and recently only just managed to deal with the heavy winter storms. Infrastructure during the 2013/2014 floods was at the point of being disrupted severely. With sea level rise, more intense rainfall and stronger winds due to climate change, the road and railway network will be disrupted for ever increasing periods. For example, the loss of Newgale shingle bank and the severance of the trunk road showed this vulnerability and there will undoubtedly be major disruption to the coastal rail network, in particularly on the firmer Cambrian coast. It remains to be seen how the recent outbreak of Coronavirus will impact on our infrastructure needs and general travel patterns across society, but they will change. Funding of Infrastructure Interventions Transport infrastructure investment in Wales falls well short of what is needed. Budgetary challenges over the last decade are well known but this shouldn’t prevent investment, particularly as it is shown to provide positive economic and social benefits. The Welsh Government needs to be encouraged to invest in alternative and more innovative forms of investment – both public and private sector – to bring forward critical infrastructure improvements. These could include more extensive use of Mutual Investment Model (MIM) financing currently proposed for the final sections of the A465 Heads of the Valleys dualling but also the increased use of Government borrowing, increased rail access charges and Increased use of government borrowing, innovative funding solutions With the growth of non-fossil fuel powered vehicles, increased prosperity, and the demand for greater social mobility, it is inevitable the propensity for people to travel in personalised vehicles will increase, even if vehicle ownership doesn’t. Serious consideration needs to be given to increased use of road pricing or taxation as a means to suppress demand and raise funds for infrastructure investment across all modes of transport. In any event we can no longer put off important investment decisions in our strategic road and rail network. The NICW should establish a working group to explore alternative and innovative forms of funding linked to the Welsh Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plans. Welsh Infrastructure Alliance Issue 6 – Strategic Connectivity: Road and Rail – Improve Links The lack of strategic road and rail capacity and resilience in the south-east and north-east of Wales has long been known by the Welsh Government and there have been proposals to address these problems since the inception of the National Assembly for Wales in 1999. More committed investment and certainty in delivering major transport infrastructure is essential to improving East-West links in both North and South Wales as well as North and South links to central Wales. Investment in longer distance bus/coach transport in these corridors linked to local bus networks at interchanges with M4 Motorway and A55, including more park and ride facilities, will reduce travel distances and provide alternatives to private car users. Solutions to address congestion on the M4 Motorway corridor in south-east Wales have been under consideration for nearly 30 years. Alternatives to the construction of a new motorway around the south of Newport have been considered and discarded on several occasions, including as part of the Public Inquiry in 2018 for a new Motorway. The Welsh Government’s decision to not proceed with this new Motorway was understandable at the time but since then no real alternative have been announced. The proposed South East Wales Metro will provide some positive benefits but will not adequately address the current congestion problems. Investment in a SMART motorway or ‘Expressway’ could relieve pressure in the mid- term and should be investigated although this should be treated with caution until the findings of the Highways England review of SMART motorways has been published. At this time the only long-term solution remains some form of new road infrastructure and the case for infrastructure investment in improving the M4 Motorway in south- east Wales, including how to address concerns raised by the Climate Change Emergency, needs to be revisited urgently. This should include options for alternative and innovative funding mechanisms, including the use of MIM financing. The A55 across North Wales continues to suffer from a lack of investment with long- delayed decisions at Deeside, the Third Menai Crossing and Junctions 15/16 resulting in increased congestion and delays, particularly for tourist and business travellers to north-west Wales. The development of the A55 to ‘Expressway’ standards, with robust alternative diversion routes to provide greater network resilience needs to be investigated further. The intervention to improve the A55/A494/A548 in Flinthshire should be given priority funding due to its key interaction with the bordering English regions which are also receiving investment. Electrification of the mainlines across and north and south Wales (west of Cardiff) will bring journey reliability and time reduction benefits as well as carbon reductions and air quality improvements. The case for demonstrating improvement in connectivity along these corridors is however not proven but this should not detract from making these investments for other sustainability reasons. The delivery of Metros in south-east, south-west and north Wales will all bring significant benefits to their regional and local economies. However, the Welsh Government needs to demonstrate the benefits these will being and provide more Welsh Infrastructure Alliance certainty on the measures that will be implemented. This will allow regional and local authorities, as well as the private sector, to plan and invest thereby maximising the benefits of this infrastructure investment. It is evident from investment in the strategic and local road network in areas such as the Heads of the Valleys, Newtown and Caernarfon can not only stimulate local economic growth but improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and bring benefits to local communities