{"id":221715,"date":"2025-05-22T19:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T09:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/railuk.com\/?p=177878"},"modified":"2025-05-22T19:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T09:30:00","slug":"metro-is-go-with-network-north-wales","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=221715","title":{"rendered":"\u201cMetro is go\u201d with Network North Wales"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/railuk.com\/travel\/metro-is-go-with-network-north-wales\/\" title=\"&#8220;Metro is go&#8221; with Network North Wales\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"485\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.railuk.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/22093054\/Train-at-station-Transport-for-Wales-485x360.png\" class=\"webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"display: block; margin-bottom: 5px; clear:both;max-width: 100%;\" link_thumbnail=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.railuk.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/22093054\/Train-at-station-Transport-for-Wales-485x360.png 485w, https:\/\/cdn.railuk.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/22093054\/Train-at-station-Transport-for-Wales-80x60.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>An ambitious vision to deliver an integrated, high-frequency public transport network for North Wales, with frequent metro services at its heart, has been unveiled today.<\/p>\n<p>Network North Wales is a bold passenger-focussed programme of work to better connect communities, with more rail and bus services and greater integration. It aims to maximise opportunity and unlock the economic potential of North Wales and the cross-border region.<\/p>\n<p>Unveiled by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates, Network North Wales will see metro style train services on the North Wales mainline, the Marches line (Chester to Wrexham) and a new, direct rail link between Wrexham and Liverpool.<\/p>\n<p>Immediate changes are being delivered, with a raft of improvements planned for the next twelve months, three years and through to 2035. Longer term objectives include defining future targets for higher frequency services, reopening closed stations, creating new stations and exploring the role of new transport modes such as tram trains.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking at Wales\u2019 first ever Public Transport Summit in Wrexham Mr Skates declared \u201cMetro is go\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Plans include:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Commencing work on the line between Wrexham and Liverpool as the crucial first phase of delivering metro services direct between the two cities.<\/li>\n<li>Doubling train services between Wrexham and Chester next May.<\/li>\n<li>Bringing forward the introduction of 50% more services across the North Wales mainline from December 2026 to next May \u2013 resulting in a new service from Llandudno to Liverpool and extending the Manchester Airport service to Holyhead in place of Llandudno.<\/li>\n<li>Upon completion of rail line works at Padeswood, increase train services between Wrexham and Bidston to 2 trains per hour within the next three years, ahead of the introduction of 4 trains per hour that will run direct between Wrexham and Liverpool by 2035.<\/li>\n<li>The existing Borderlands Line will also be renamed the Wrexham \u2013 Liverpool line.<\/li>\n<li>Key stations on the Wrexham \u2013 Liverpool line will be improved in the next 12 months.<\/li>\n<li>Introducing Pay as You Go tap in tap out technology &#8211; covering connections between Gobowen and Rhyl, and along the full length of the Wrexham -Liverpool line<\/li>\n<li>A new, multi-million pound electrification innovation fund to develop a plan to decarbonise the railway in North Wales and enable more frequent metro services and additional stations<\/li>\n<li>Working with local authorities to develop plans for Gateway multi-modal interchanges at Holyhead, Bangor, Caernarfon and Wrexham.<\/li>\n<li>Examining options to re-open stations and build new stations to serve employment growth areas.<\/li>\n<li><\/li>\n<li>The Welsh Government has already committed an investment of over \u00a313m to begin delivery immediately and will draw on other funding streams to make the vision a reality.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ken Skates said: \u201cWe now have the best possible partnership in place to deliver Network North Wales.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUK Government, local government, Transport for Wales and English local authorities are working with us to deliver this bold programme of work to better connect communities, with more rail and bus services and greater integration, new stations, new transport routes, new trains, new buses, new technology.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA network of public transport services that will include cross-border turn-up and go bus and rail services, extending the Northern Arc from Hull to Holyhead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith unprecedented partnership across governments, across borders and across the north, we have the opportunity to turn dreams into reality, to deliver on an enduring vision for what our a public transport network should look like.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMost importantly, we have an opportunity to deliver the principal purpose of public transport &#8211; to drive economic growth and prosperity for all.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have already delivered significantly for South Wales with the South Wales Metro. Building on the \u00a3800m investment in new trains, the majority of which are already serving the North Wales region, now is the right time for North Wales to get the same level of ambition.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMore services. More new trains. A better railway for North Wales.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd delivery at an unprecedented pace.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is a long term vision, which begins now with real changes. Including the roll out of Pay as You Go, \u2013 the tap on tap off deployment most of us only experience in London. Improved stations, increased services and an additional integrated bus service are all part of immediate changes over the next 12 months.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt contains infrastructure priorities that have been agreed by UK and Welsh Governments, and re-confirms our long-held objective to electrify lines.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis vision should outlast any single Minister, Government or economic and political circumstances. Working together, we&#8217;ll deliver our ambitious plans that take us to 2035 and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>Rail Minister Lord Hendy added:\u201cWe are determined to build a modern and integrated transport network across the whole of the UK, delivering our Plan for Change and driving economic growth by better connecting people to homes, jobs, education and business opportunities.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThrough close collaboration between our two governments, we\u2019re demonstrating how we can deliver a stronger, more connected rail network that truly meets passengers&#8217; needs and transforms everyday journeys across Wales.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our collaborative approach will extend to these exciting proposals, which represent a significant opportunity to transform connectivity across the region and unlock new opportunities for communities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Image credit: TfW<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/railuk.com\/travel\/metro-is-go-with-network-north-wales\/\" title=\"\u201cMetro is go\u201d with Network North Wales\" rel=\"nofollow\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"485\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.railuk.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/22093054\/Train-at-station-Transport-for-Wales-485x360.png\" class=\"webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image\" alt=\"\"><\/a>An ambitious vision to deliver an integrated, high-frequency public transport network for North Wales, with frequent metro services at its heart, has been unveiled today. Network North Wales is a bold passenger-focussed programme of work to better connect communities, with more rail and bus services and greater integration. It aims to maximise opportunity and unlock [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2326,47,913,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-221715","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metro","category-rail-news","category-travel","category-uk"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=221715"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":222191,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221715\/revisions\/222191"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=221715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=221715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=221715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}