🅿️ Parking & Transport: Cardiff Airport (CWL)

[Jerry]

Plans for a link road from the M4 to the A48 are 1 step closer. Should benefit the airport IF it happens.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/...4-link-14515183.amp?__twitter_impression=true

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Good news. While I'm a huge believer in preserving the UK's green spaces, this road is needed as I've driven the current road many times and it is quite frankly terrible.

 

[Jerry]

With Five mile lane being widened and straightened and I'd imagine this would connect up to that then it'll give the whole area easier access to the M4. Also any new railway station could include a shuttle bus to the airport as well.
Another factor is a quicker road journey to the M4 also makes the airport site more attractive to the logistics industry, the airport has mentioned expanding it's cargo side and lot's of airports have logistic and business parks next door to them.

 

[Jerry]

The suggested routes for the new bypass from the M4 to the A48 have been released for consultation.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/exact-routes-new-road-linking-14537704

 

[Sean123]

Hey folkes what's the bus schedule for cwl from town ?

 

[Jerry]

Hey folkes what's the bus schedule for cwl from town ?

https://www.traveline.cymru/timetables/?routeNum=T9&direction_id=0&timetable_key=0T9MFNAA3
That's the T9 schedule.

 

[Sean123]

Cheers jerry

 

[Jerry]

The Rail Wales franchise decision is imminent. The new operator who'll take over from Arriva Trains Wales in October 2018 and will also operate the South Wales Metro should be announced in the next 24 hours. There is only 2 choices Keolis and MTR.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-...ns_campaign=bbc_wales_news&ns_source=facebook

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

Or can't decide so extend the current terms with Areiva who pulled out last year.

 

[Jerry]

KeolisAmey won the bid to operate the Wales and Borders franchise and the South Wales Metro.
KeolisAmey is a joint venture between the French transport company Keolis which is 75% owned by SNCF and operates the Docklands Light Railway and Nottingham's tram network and Amey an infrastructure management company.
There will now be a 10 day grace period in which the losing bidder MTR can place an objection and then KeolisAmey will be able to release it's plans for the franchise and the Metro. It will take over operations on the 14th October 2018.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/keolisamey-win-new-wales--14692626

 

[Jerry]

The 10 day grace period for the loser of the bid for the Wales and Border franchise is over and some of the plans that KeolisAmey want to do is starting to come out. The full release will be in Treforest on Tuesday. These are a few highlights.
An additional 600 staff will be recruited to deliver the service in a range of roles, while 450 new apprenticeships (30 every year) will also be created over the life of the contract.

£1.9bn will be invested in improving passengers’ travel experience, including an £800m investment in trains, boosting overall service capacity by 65%.

All trains will be replaced by 2023 when 95% of journeys (though not on mileage) will be on brand new trains, half of which will be assembled in Wales at a new train maker factory at Llanwern from Spanish firm CAF.

£194m will be invested to modernise all 247 stations with five new stations including in Cardiff at Gabalfa, Crwys Road, Loudoun Square and the Flourish (next to the Wales Millennium Centre), serviced by tram-trains that will run on battery power on street across Cardiff.

And it is understood there are plans for a new Treforest station to be located nearer to Nantgarw, where the Department for Work and Pensions is creating a new HQ for 1,700 staff and the campus of Coleg Y Cymoedd is located, than the existing one is.

Stations will be powered 100% by renewable energy, at least 50% of which will be sourced in Wales. Investment in active travel initiatives will include the installation of new cycle lockers and a target to achieve secure station accreditation for all stations.

Passengers will start to see improvements in service levels from December 2018, with increased capacity on the Valleys Lines and new services between Chester and Liverpool.

By the end of 2023, passengers will be able to take advantage of an additional 285 services each weekday across Wales (a 29% increase).
This will include improvements to the Ebbw Vale and Wrexham to Bidston lines as well as the Cambrian and Heart of Wales lines.

Sunday services will be boosted by 61 % with an additional 294 services across Wales.

Smart ticketing will ensure that fares are more flexible and cheaper off-peak fares will be introduced including fare reductions in North Wales and at approximately 50% of stations in the Valleys.

Also all trains and buses will be painted red and black and will be in Transport for Wales branding.
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/busin...com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wales_main

 

[superking]

Nothing new for the airport except a few extra trains per day. Am I reading it right.?

 

[Jerry]

Nothing new for the airport except a few extra trains per day. Am I reading it right.?

Probably but the full Metro plans don't come out till tomorrow.
At the moment although a link straight to the airport would be nice the passenger especially the inbound ones don't warrant it. An increased service to Rhoose along with a more frequent shuttle bus is probably the best the airport can hope for train wise. Hopefully there will be new bus services though

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Is all this being paid for by the Welsh Government? I thought I read somewhere in the recent past that private investment was involved in some of the new rail station developments which, if true, is what we want to hear. I do anyway.

 

[Jerry]

Is all this being paid for by the Welsh Government? I thought I read somewhere in the recent past that private investment was involved in some of the new rail station developments which, if true, is what we want to hear. I do anyway.

The Wales and Border franchise does come under the Welsh government now. I believe KeolisAmey will be paid £5 billion to operate the franchise for 15 years but will only be paid if they meet certain targets set down by Transport for Wales ie customer satisfaction is one of them i believe. They will also be the operators of the South Wales Metro of which i believe the money comes from the UK government Welsh government and City region deals.

 

[Jerry]

There is a private firm that wants to build a Parkway station in St Mellons on the GWR mainline but i don't know if there will be firms involved in building stations for the Metro or the Wales and Border franchise as separate private endeavours.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

There is a private firm that wants to build a Parkway station in St Mellons on the GWR mainline but i don't know if there will be firms involved in building stations for the Metro or the Wales and Border franchise as separate private endeavours.

It would be good if they did build the parkway station in conjunction with an airport link would definitely boost passenger numbers. Question is would GWR stop at it, the new franchise operator would but by adding GWR could open up traffic probably from far afield as Swindon for CWL.

 

[Jerry]

It would be good if they did build the parkway station in conjunction with an airport link would definitely boost passenger numbers.

As part of the proposed bypass from junction 34 to the A48 there is a plan for a Parkway station there as part of a Park and ride so maybe GWR would stop there as an airport link.

 

[Jerry]

KeolisAmey has put in an order for 148 new train's worth £800 million. Hopefully one day we'll see them operating to the airport!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45197544

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Sounds marvellous. The Cardiff region already has an excellent local rail network and this is going to enhance it still further.