Cardiff Business Partnership launches new report from influential Partnership, “ Connecting Cardiff, Newport and the Valleys – A Metro for Wales’ Capital City Region”. The Report makes the case for a major and long term investment in rail infrastructure to help promote economic growth and development across the entire South Wales and Cardiff City Region
David Stevens Director of Cardiff Business Partnership and Operations Director of Admiral Insurance PLC said:
“Around the world, the success of city region economies is becoming increasingly dependent on high capacity, high quality, intra and inter regional public transport systems. In response, aspiring city regions such as Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Edinburgh are pushing ahead with the development and expansion of modern urban transit systems to boost their economies.”
Mr Stevens added:
“Given the evidence from around the world, the Cardiff Business Partnership believes the delivery of this vision, combined with a coherent economic strategy for the entire Cardiff City Region, will make a significant contribution to improving Wales’ economic fortunes. Consequently, it should be a priority for the governments at both Cardiff and Westminster, and for local authorities and the business community.”
Roy J. Thomas of the Cardiff Business Partnership who helped commission the work by Mark Barry said:
“The Cardiff Business Partnership believes it should be using the electrification of Great Western Main Line as a catalyst, it is time to develop and implement the transport vision set out in this paper. This would enable the Cardiff City Region population travel far more quickly and easily, and also radically enhance the economic connectivity which is essential. Wales should look outward not inward for growth. All economies look to investment from outside look at China and India. We need to get moving and stop the decline of the last ten years to increase GDP Cardiff is essential especially as 100,000 travel to work to the City each day”
For too long, CBP argue, government policies have focussed on addressing the symptoms Wales’s economic malaise. Given Wales’ poor economic performance, a new vision is required. In the report, The CBP make the case for an ambitious and strategic investment that delivers a step change in the provision of public transport for Cardiff, Newport and the Valleys between 2015 and 2025. In the first instance, this will require a Metro combined electrified heavy rail and light rail system to serve the entire Cardiff City Region. The benefits of this major public transport investment will be maximised by also delivering faster rail links to London and Heathrow. So, by 2025 it should be possible to:
- Travel from the Heads of the Valleys to Newport or Cardiff in 40 minutes or less four times and hour
- Travel from Cardiff to London or Heathrow in 80 minutes or less twice an hour
The partnership believe that Wales needs to target fewer but more strategic and impactful projects such as this, if the issue of the poor performance and economic inactivity of the Valleys is to be addressed in any meaningful way.
Given scale of the challenge and drawing on evidence from other leading city regions, the Cardiff Business Partnership believes the delivery of this vision, combined with a coherent economic strategy for the wider city region, will make a significant contribution to improving Wales’ economic fortunes. Consequently, it should be a priority for the governments at both Cardiff and Westminster, and for local authorities and the business community to promote this vision and bring it into reality.
Supporting the publication of this report, the CBP, in association with The Institute of Welsh Affairs and Cardiff & Co are hosting a conference, “End of the Line – Economic regeneration and rail connectivity in southern Wales”, on 10th February 2011, at Cardiff’s City Hall. http://www.iwa.org.uk/en/events/view/118
Contact Roy J Thomas on 07767 586 939. Or royjthomas@publictrustpartnership.co.uk
