About 600 staff will be recruited and 450 apprenticeships offered with a new 15-year £5 Billion investment in rail services by Welsh Government. The Wales and Borders services along with the proposed South Wales Metro regional service will be contracted to KeolisAmey, who run London Docklands and Manchester Metro, in partnership with stand alone not-for-profit company … [Read more...]
Nextbike Cardiff expands with free trial – but is it enough?
Scores of cyclists will take part in a mass ride through Cardiff to celebrate the expansion of the city’s nextbike share scheme. A whopping 4,300 miles have been clocked up on the bikes in Cardiff since a trial scheme with 50 bikes was launched in March – the equivalent of cycling the Taff Trail 78 times. And the whole city will get to use the bikes for free for 24 hours today as part of the … [Read more...]
Circuit of Wales was a car crash for Welsh Government
Senior civil servants in Wales have been criticised by the Welsh Public Accounts Committee over their botched handling of financial affairs surrounding the failed £433M Circuit of Wales. The committee said the officials made "inexplicable decisions" about the spending and authorised £9M initial investment, but it’s unlikely to see £7.3M returned as the developers have taken legal steps to … [Read more...]
Bus technology gets £3.5M boost from Welsh Government
Welsh Government, local authorities, bus service providers and users met in Swansea yesterday to discuss how to further develop an improved, more sustainable bus industry for Wales. At Wales’ second Bus Summit, Transport Secretary Ken Skates announced £3.5m for local authorities to improve audio-visual equipment on board buses and real-time technology at bus stops. The purpose of the bus … [Read more...]
Metro hub development now on track in Cardiff
Leading figures of the new Metro Delivery Partnership visited the site of Cardiff’s new Integrated Transport Hub where work is underway to prepare for construction of the new bus station and interchange. The Welsh Government recently acquired the site for the new Interchange from Cardiff Council for £15m, including the rights to the original design, transport analysis, ground conditions, … [Read more...]
Tradelines 2 May
Volvo aims for fully electric cars to make 50 per cent of its sales by 2025. The announcement builds on Volvo Cars’ 2017 industry-first announcement that all new models released from 2019 will be available as either a mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle. The next generation of wireless charging for vehicles has been revealed at the Beijing Motor Show. Easelink bolts … [Read more...]
Welsh traffic plan risks increasing pollution, warning
Welsh Government plans to reduce vehicle emissions and pollution actually risk making it worse, motoring organisations warned today. Welsh Government and councils are taking a shortsighted approach to tackling airborne pollution with the proposed new lower M4 speed limit and toxic-tax for urban areas. That’s the view of AA President Edmund King who said,“ In all our surveys more than 80% of … [Read more...]
New 50mph limits on M4 & urban-charging for Wales
New full-time 50mph speed limits will be imposed within two months on parts of the M4 in South Wales. The restrictions between Briton Ferry and Port Talbot and around the Brynglas Tunnels at Newport will be joined by similar limits on the A470 near Pontypridd, the A483 at Wrexham and A494 at Deeside. Councils will also get funds to introduce clean air zones charging or banning some vehicles … [Read more...]
Engineers criticise Government and back rail electrification
Britain’s engineers are backing the case for rail electrification between Cardiff and Swansea. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has also debunked Government claims over cost and said the proposed diesel & electric bimode trains will be less efficient, less economical and more polluting. Dr Jenifer Baxter, Head of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, … [Read more...]
Newslines 21 April
The A40 will remain shut between Llandovery and Llanwrda over the weekend at least. It’s emergency closure follows the opening of a sink-hole in the carriageway on Wednesday evening and the diversions have caused chaos in surrounding villages struggling with HGVs on narrow sections. Plans to scrap the proposed electric rail line between Cardiff and Swansea have been defended by UK Transport … [Read more...]