West of England and South Wales leaders reveal vision for 2050 rail network
The vision shows how the area could nearly halve current journey times in between cities across the regions and improve journeys to London and elsewhere in the UK
Last updated 9th Jun 2024
Leaders across the West of England and South Wales have revealed their vision on how they think train services should look by 2050.
It's hoped journey times across the region could nearly half.
The vision is being led by the Western Gateway Partnership and sees a collaboration with the Transport for Wales and the Western Gateway Sub-National Transport Body, and shows how the area could see faster journey times between local cities, while drastically improve journeys to London - and elsewhere across the UK.
What it means for future travel across our region
Currently, the South West and South Wales lags behind other parts of the UK with its slow intercity train times, and slow connections between rural communities too.
According to the Western Gateway, Cardiff in particular has been identified by the Government as having the “least well directly connected major city” in the UK.
This is what's triggered today's announcement, as leaders and businesses across our regions team-up to make sure we're not left behind - especially amid ongoing national investment in rail services elsewhere in other parts of the UK.
In the vision, there could be four services between Bristol and Cardiff an hour, while reducing journey times from the current 50 minutes down to half an hour.
Journey times between Bristol and Swansea could also shrink from 90 minutes to just an hour, and mean three services every hour, through proposed improvements by Transport for Wales funding to the South Wales Main Line and upgrading the Severn crossing.
Between now and 2035, the plans estimate improvements would cost between £1-2 billion.
Long-term plans up to 2050 could inflate up to between £7-8 billion.
These costs compare with the Northern Powerhouse Rail with an estimated £17.2 billion budget, and the HS2 project which is estimated to cost £72.3 billion.
Short-term goals
- South Wales Main Line Programme
- Swansea Bay Metro - the initial phase
- South Wales Metro - the expansion
- MetroWest - the initial phase
- WECA Transport Corridors
Long-term goals
- Finishing the remaining stretches of rail line that need to be electrified, beyond the current proposals by the South Wales Main Line
- Speed enhancements, beyond the current proposals by the South Wales Main Line
- Increasing the number of four-track railways to enhance the current capacity levels
- Severn crossing improvements
The Rt Hon David TC Davies MP, Secretary of State for Wales, said: “Connectivity within South Wales and South West England is vital to growing our regional economy.
"I welcome the ambition of Western Gateway and am pleased to have recently announced significant funding to help develop a number of key priorities including tackling congestion on the South Wales corridor."
The Western Gateway is the Pan Regional Partnership for South Wales and Western England. Made up of local authorities, businesses and universities from across the area, the partnership aims to overcome productivity hurdles to add £34bn to the economy and power efforts to reach Net Zero.
Katherine Bennett CBE, Chair of the Western Gateway, said: “Our area has so much to offer. With 14 of the 15 largest aerospace manufacturers based here and home to the largest group of high-tech cyber businesses in Europe, we are ready to help deliver a greener, fairer future for the whole of the UK and beyond.
“This vision sends the signal that we are ready for the investment needed to unlock our potential. A better rail system with improved connectivity and new station is key to creating the jobs and homes the area needs and our partnership is ready to work with Government and the private sector to deliver this.”