Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I'm not convinced Cardiff is enough of a "public transport city" to justify premium flats with no parking facilities whatsoever...that'll put a severe kibosh on their value...
Don't worry, the vast majority of the flats will be just one bedroom. I doubt very much that any of the flats will have UK owners. It's a private equity paradise.I'm not convinced Cardiff is enough of a "public transport city" to justify premium flats with no parking facilities whatsoever...that'll put a severe kibosh on their value...
The amount of money in brown envelopes that must have changed hands between Cardiff Council, Welsh Govt, and cash hungry property developers for this entire scheme isn't worth thinking about.The private rented flats would be in a 22-storey tower in Wood Street, and a nine-storey block in Marland Street, and would be made up of 16 studio apartments, 172 one-bedroom flats, 103 two beds and 14 three beds.
What a mess this whole scheme has been over the last 10 years. We've gone from a 34 stand bus station, the largest in Wales, perfectly located right in front of Cardiff Central rail station, perfect for onward connections, to a 14 stand bus station, with buses and coaches still dotted around the city centre.
And then we have a 249 space car park being provided just for the BBC! Well we can't expect the suits at the BBC to slum it with the public on the buses or trains can we!
Add to that the 700 space car park planned for the south of Central station on the current Brains Brewery site, that's almost 1000 car parking spaces being provided in the city centre, and Cardiff Council raves about wanting to reduce traffic congestion in the city centre. Do I or ?
I guess this is coming from the same government that wants to spend £1.5bn on 6 miles of motorway south of Newport and another almost £1bn on the final phase of the A465 Heads of the Valleys road dualling, whilst at the same time claiming to be in favour of public transport and active travel. Insane.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/cost-widening-last-section-a465-15373924?
According to wales online, MTR would've built a new train station at the Pontypridd bus station if they won the franchise.
While welcoming the Metro, he believes the current plans can be enhanced. Mr [Owen] Smith [local MP] said: “I know that the bidder that lost out to KeolisAmey for the rail franchise and delivery of the Metro, MTR, had plans for a new train station next to Pontypridd bus station.
Yes, it's quite interesting how different MTR's bid may be but we will never know unless they dialcoe the info. There was a definite plan for 4 car HST sets on the Premier service , different trains in general , Stadler was not their preferred bidder.That'll be from this article, I presume?
... on the M4 Relief Road Vuaghan Gethin and Eluded Morgan support it ...
I really believe that building a station at the Pontypridd bus station is a waste of money and time the main station is within walking distance and a bus already takes you to the station makes sense why they lost the big I believe KeolsAmey has a lot more knowledge on what to use as Keolis is a global operator. In 2016 keolis pledged to transform the welsh network if they won the franchise. It's clear KeolisAmey offered a far superior bid.
I live in Pontypridd and gave my view.The bus and rail stations at Pontypridd are a good half mile apart at opposites ends of the main commercial area. So both convenient for the town centre today I agree, but definitely not ideal for interchange, especially if you have to wait for an extra local bus to get between the two by which time you may miss the longer distance train/bus you were aiming for and and have to wait for the next one. In most cases it would be quicker to walk. With fast accelerating tram-based electric units, another station half a mile from the existing site would not add significantly to journey time, and the railway simply couldn't be closer to the bus station site. As to construction, the former railway alignment here was once wider so perhaps track could be slewed over a little to create space for a northbound platform and the existing pedestrian path bridging under the railway from the bus station to Lanpark Road might be used for access, avoiding the need for an expensive new grade separated accessible bridge or subway.
View attachment 55089
They already do on the way to the bus station so it's pointless. I really see why MTR Lost now the probably had very unnecessary proposals.Help me out....why do the trains have to go to the buses?
Can’t all the buses go via the train station, if necessary by going through the bus station and doing an extra loop before having a rest?
They already do on the way to the bus station so it's pointless. I really see why MTR Lost now the probably had very unnecessary proposals.
They already do on the way to the bus station so it's pointless. I really see why MTR Lost now the probably had very unnecessary proposals.
I said so before the franchise was awarded and I've seen nothing since to convince me otherwise but the Core Valley Lines is a bodge up driven more by the desire to wrestle the control of something from Westminster than by other considerations. However Keolis Amey have done a good job in retaining through links where they can and rejecting the whackier Light Rail fanatic wishes of street running in Cardiff. But any extensions that then make it a full South Wales Metro not just a conversion of what lines that are left have clearly been sacrificed on the alter of the big road schemes refereed to up thread.
All water under the bridge now but heres my take on it.
MTR had a lot of crayon ideas even extending to rural areas plus the degree of light rail fantastic they wanted around Cardiff there wasn't the budget for. The bid was to far out.
Arriva sat down and thought do we want another 15 years dealing with the Welsh Government with no chance of making much £ and decided they had better things to do.
Abeilo were very confident of wining with a bid that ticked the right boxes with Welsh Government until they found out they had no construction delivery partner.
Kelois put in a pragmatic bid.
No MTR wanted light rail even in Ebbw Vale and Maesteg, their plans were ludicrous.The light rail network being built is designed for on street lines to plug in in future, there simply wasn't the money to build any street running in the near term and the short street running extension to the new terminus is proof of concept/tech development for future lines.
Except a light rail network is not being built. The Valley lines are being wired up to 25 kV AC and will be using Network Rail standard heavy rail infrastructure. The only thing that's changing is on the Taff Vale lines 'train-trams' will be used. Rhymney is staying HR with Stadler Flirts.The light rail network being built is designed for on street lines to plug in in future, there simply wasn't the money to build any street running in the near term and the short street running extension to the new terminus is proof of concept/tech development for future lines.
Except a light rail network is not being built. The Valley lines are being wired up to 25 kV AC and will be using Network Rail standard heavy rail infrastructure. The only thing that's changing is on the Taff Vale lines 'train-trams' will be used. Rhymney is staying HR with Stadler Flirts.
Again, ask yourself, why were all of the future extensions detailed in those EIA maps released in January abandoned indefinitely? Why wasn't there the money for a full Metro, including electrification up to Ebbw Vale and through the Vale of Glamorgan, when over £2.5bn can be found for big, show-piece road schemes?
Welsh Govt even want to use PFI for the last section of the A465 dualling, when PFI has been binned by even the UK govt.
I wonder sometimes if UK and Welsh Labour are within the same political party.
No MTR wanted light rail even in Ebbw Vale and Maesteg, their plans were ludicrous.
Yes, it is, it was a requirement for the franchise to build on on-street light rail extension to The Flourish for future expansion of the metro network. The Tram-Trains will eventually have more lines. The Merthyr and Rhondda lines will be served by Light Rail Vehicles which are the CityLinks.
Except a light rail network is not being built. The Valley lines are being wired up to 25 kV AC and will be using Network Rail standard heavy rail infrastructure. The only thing that's changing is on the Taff Vale lines 'train-trams' will be used. Rhymney is staying HR with Stadler Flirts.
Again, ask yourself, why were all of the future extensions detailed in those EIA maps released in January abandoned indefinitely? Why wasn't there the money for a full Metro, including electrification up to Ebbw Vale and through the Vale of Glamorgan, when over £2.5bn can be found for big, show-piece road schemes?
Welsh Govt even want to use PFI for the last section of the A465 dualling, when PFI has been binned by even the UK govt.
I wonder sometimes if UK and Welsh Labour are within the same political party.
You've failed to understand me. Search for Rhodri Clark's articles in Modern Railways and look for articles in RAIL magazine about the new franchise and Metro since June.Yes, it is, it was a requirement for the franchise to build on on-street light rail extension to The Flourish for future expansion of the metro network. The Tram-Trains will eventually have more lines. The Merthyr and Rhondda lines will be served by Light Rail Vehicles which are the CityLinks.
The only new, light rail section that is being 'built' is 300 metres on-street in the Bay. That can hardly be called a new light rail network. All future extensions have been postponed indefinitely,
And when and possibly if the network ever gets expanded further depends very much on what happens after March next year (eg. Brexit), who wins the current Welsh leadership race, and if Welsh Govt can finally move away from seeing big road schemes as 'vote winners' and actually improve public transport that will make a tangible difference to the economy, people's everyday lives and the environment.Everything else so far has been a suggestion not a policy - some suggested by civil servants, some by enthusiastic rail people and some by TOCs. At some point, yes the network will probably be expanded further.
And when and possibly if the network ever gets expanded further depends very much on what happens after March next year (eg. Brexit), who wins the current Welsh leadership race, and if Welsh Govt can finally move away from seeing big road schemes as 'vote winners' and actually improve public transport that will make a tangible difference to the economy, people's everyday lives and the environment.
It's not just about the 'Core Valleys' either. Ebbw Vale, Vale of Glamorgan, Maesteg should all be next for electrification and upgrades before we start experimenting with tramways in the upper Valleys.
Not forgetting the 'Swansea Bay Metro' and 'straightening' the SWML between Swansea and Cardiff, as well as electrification Cardiff - Swansea.
Because it was implemented in a ridiculous political Cardiff-centric way.The Ebbw Vale Line for example should be being electrified now. 1/3rd of the journey from Cardiff to Ebbw Vale is on the GWML
Right in front of the Millenium centre the network will expand further.Can you tell us where the extension from the The Florish will be to? Its more or less at the Bays edge surrounded by the buildings its suppose to serve
On street running in Cardiff City Center as has pointed out by many people many times on this thread is hugely expensive and counterproductive - the existing heavy rail stops actually serve the city very well on the alignments their on. Cardiff City Centre is compact nowhere is really more than a 10 minute walk from Georgetown/Ninian Park/Central/Queen St/ Bay/ Cathays Park.
On street tram running gains you very little at the expensive of a lot.
Says who? Link to a source please?Right in front of the Millenium stadium the network will expand further.