MS calls for 'urgency' over North Wales Metro after £1billion committed for South Wales

Welsh Government deputy minister for climate change Lee Walters confirmed a £1billion scheme for the South Wales Metro, with just £50million committed to North Wales so far. A government spokesperson said £1bn is in the pipeline for the north, which would see greater integrated rail, bus and active travel networks, however this is subject to a devolved funding settlement from the UK Government.

Mr Walters, speaking in the Senedd on Thursday ahead of the Welsh Government’s Net Zero in the lead up to COP26, said the two metro plans are at “different stages of development”, adding: “The South Wales metro has been in gestation for a very long time. We now need to make sure that it’s matched across the rest of Wales.”

A newly published map of integrated network plans for the North Wales Metro. Picture: Welsh Government

Plans for the North Wales Metro include increased services between the Wrexham and the Wirral by the December this year, while a direct line between Llandudno and Liverpool is not expected until the end of 2022.

In response to Mr Walters, Darren Millar, MS for Clwyd West, claimed the disparity in funding makes people in North Wales “feel like poor relations to people in the south”, while Sam Rowlands, MS for North Wales, called for “urgency” over the delivery of the North Wales plan.

“It is all very well encouraging active travel initiatives and looking at the rail and bus infrastructure in North Wales but the whole process needs to be speeded up and expanded to all areas of my region,” Mr Rowlands said.

“Initially, these plans were proposed in 2016, for delivery in around 2035, a nearly 20-year timescale to see a North Wales metro take place.

“I do not think that is acceptable anymore, and certainly in times of a climate emergency and encouraging more people onto public transport.”

Other projects in the North this year include £900,000 for a study to improve journey times on the North Wales coast mainline, £4.8m for the Traws Cymru network, and £1m for the Snowdonia Transport Strategy.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “Our ambitions for a £1bn North Wales Metro scheme will play a critical role in improving public transport for people living in communities across North Wales. The metro maps published this week set out an ambitious vision for investing more in the future of rail, bus and active travel.

“We’re committed to improving all sustainable modes of transport, including rail and bus services, active travel networks and innovative mobility solutions, such as electric bike and car clubs to help transform the lives of residents, support the rural economy and reach our Net Zero targets in Wales.”