Latest news with #Metro-style
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
£2.1bn north Wales rail overhaul plans unveiled
A £2.1bn plan to overhaul north Wales' railway network has been unveiled by Welsh Transport Secretary Ken Skates, but with no funding commitment from the UK government so far. The proposals include more services, the introduction of pay-as-you-go "tap in tap out" technology, electrification of lines and a Metro-style service linking Wrexham and Liverpool. Promising the plans would mean "better stations and more trains", Welsh ministers have committed an initial £13m, with substantial UK government cash needed to realise the proposals. The UK government has been asked to comment. Welsh railways underfunded, UK government admits Level crossings close so more trains can run The plans for an "integrated, high-frequency public transport network" were announced at a "Public Transport Summit", in Wrexham. Speaking at the event, Skates said: "Working together, we'll deliver our ambitious plans that take us to 2035 and beyond." The Welsh government is working with partnerships across "governments and borders across the north", he said, to "turn dreams into a reality". The plans include work on the Wrexham to Liverpool line as the first phase of introducing direct Metro services between the two cities. There are also proposals to double services between Wrexham and Chester by next May. As well as a 50% increase in north Wales mainline services, the proposals include the introduction of a new Llandudno to Liverpool route and extending the Manchester Airport service to Holyhead. Previous rail plans and funding promises for north Wales have been marked by plenty of stops and starts by both Welsh and UK governments. In 2023, former prime minister Rishi Sunak promised electrification for the north Wales mainline at a cost of around £1bn, a commitment that never came to fruition. Currently it is not clear if previous requests for rail funding will be granted by the UK government. Eluned Morgan has said the UK government is talking to Cardiff ministers about "significant investment" on a "long list of projects", which would "probably be in the shape of new stations". In a letter in January UK government Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander appeared to endorse a range of schemes in north and south Wales, including £335m worth of new stations between Cardiff and Magor. More recently, with Labour governments now at both ends of the line in Cardiff and London, there is still no promised funding from HS2 consequentials, with rail investment central to Morgan's lobbying of the UK governments through her Red Welsh Way approach. "Funding is the key issue," said Professor of Transport Stuart Cole. "£2.1bn is a reasonable figure, £1bn for the north Wales line and £1bn for the rest. Is it a political attempt to get more money? To get more votes? "There's an election coming in a year's time, and I have no doubt the Labour government in Cardiff would want to show they are getting strong support from London." The Welsh government says that the programme will be "similar in scale and ambition" to that of the South Wales Metro. "With the core valley lines the vast majority of money, some £750m of the £1.1bn to electrify the valley lines, came from the Welsh government and some £125m from the UK government," Prof Cole added. "The vision is great. But the funding is a difficulty. Where is the £2.1bn coming from?" "I'm sure Ken Skates is hoping to get more out of the UK government but there has to be something written down which says you're going to get it. HM Treasury in London has never been a giver of money to railways in Wales." Responding to that concern, Skates told BBC Wales "we must await the CSR", referring to next month's spending review in which UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves will outline her plans for the years ahead. "I'm very, very confident that Wales will do well from the Comprehensive Spending Review," he said. "But, first and foremost, you have to put the business case together to get the money and that's what we've been doing. The Welsh government had been working "incredibly closely with the UK government and colleagues", he said, to make sure key projects contained in the plans were "agreed as priorities" with the UK Department for Transport. This North Wales Network is a plan aimed at improving connectivity between North Wales and the "Northern Arc", an economic corridor in the north of England with focus on connecting cities and regions within England. Over the border similar ambitions have been expressed by Manchester Labour Mayor Andy Burnham. Following Labour's poor performance, and Reform UK's gain in the local elections in England, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram have renewed calls for UK government ministers to support a Liverpool to Manchester railway line. Burnham said the line was promised a decade ago and that it was no surprise many voters in the north of England "feel so alienated from the system".
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Major changes announced for train travel in one part of Wales
Major changes announced for train travel in one part of Wales A huge plan to transform train services in north Wales has been announced Major changes are proposed for north Wales services including Wrexham General (Image: Google Maps ) The Welsh Government has said it wants to electrify the north Wales mainline in a newly-published grand plan for how it aims to improve rail services in north Wales. The plan includes short-term improvements, like increasing the frequency of services and removing level crossings so services can flow more smoothly, right through to electrifying the north Wales mainline and Metro-style services to all stations. A plan being announced on Thursday looks at short-, medium-, and long-term plans for the area with some starting in the next six months and others going right through to 2035 and beyond. In the next six months plans include speaking to people about closing level crossings, renaming the Borderlands Line as Wrexham to Liverpool, and investigating what it can do to improve connectivity between north Wales and London. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . The plan is for work to begin immediately to begin discussing major improvements on the north Wales mainline and Marches line. It would mean improvements to stations and lines as well as increased frequency of services. What are the aims and how long will they take? Six- to 12-month timescale Improvements on stations between Wrexham and Liverpool Double train service frequency between Wrexham and Chester 50% more Transport for Wales (TfW) services on the north Wales mainline New bus stations to help jobs between Wrexham and Deeside Pay as you go fares in north east Wales Metro branding on trains and buses as well as stations Direct services between Liverpool and Llandudno One to three years Upgrading Padeswood station A "reliable" two trains per hour on Wrexham to Liverpool line Complete development work on electrification Improve Buckley station Article continues below Five years New stations including connecting Deeside Industrial Estate Improved connectivity to Manchester Airport Consistent rail timetable for the north Wales mainline New trains Upgrade Gobowen Signal to increase Marches line capacity Prepare for electrification of north Wales mainline By 2035 North Wales mainline electrified with new rolling stock being rolled out and more services Chester station enhanced Improved connections between Wrexham General and Central Four trains per hour between Wrexham and Liverpool Enhanced connections to Liverpool South Parkway Redouble the line between Wrexham and Chester Improve accessibility at stations Beyond 2035 Metro-style services to all stations south of Wrexham to Gobowen to Crewe Tram-train connections to "key settlements" Improve journey times between north and south Wales New stations north and south of Wrexham including A55 Parkway Enhanced connectivity to Warrington Bank Quay Marches Line resignalling and electrification Northern Line connections A map of Welsh Government proposals for the North Wales mainline (Image: Welsh Government ) The operation of the railway in Wales is a Welsh Government responsibility. However infrastructure planning and the funding of Network Rail in Wales remains reserved to the UK Parliament. Electrifying the north Wales mainline was something suggested by former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak but his party conference announcement was derided as having no plans behind it. The Welsh Government's then-transport minister said at the time that any discussions between the-then UK and Welsh Governments were looking at a range of projects but this had never been discussed. On October 4, 2023, Mr Sunak stood on the stage at the Conservative party conference and confirmed he was scrapping the HS2 line to Manchester. Instead he promised transport improvements "in all parts of the country" including to electrify the north Wales mainline. However the Labour administration in Wales said it had not been informed of the plans. In the Senedd Lee Waters MS said: "We've had no conversations with the UK Government about this." The cost, it later was estimated, was around £1bn but even that was disputed by Mr Waters who said: "We have no idea of the cost of it" and claimed the £1bn was "a finger in the air figure". Article continues below When Mr Sunak visited Wales the following February we asked him what was happening with the scheme. He told us a meeting happened to be happening that day but three months later his then levelling up minister Michael Gove admitted there was no progress.
Axios
28-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
O'Connell's budget plan likely to include property tax rate hike
Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell indicated again last week he intends to raise the city's property tax rates as part of his upcoming budget proposal. Why it matters: Nashville property owners haven't seen a rise in their tax rate since 2020 when city leaders passed the largest increase in Metro history during the early days of the pandemic. Prior to that, the last tax increase in Nashville came in 2012. According to a 2023 study, Nashville has a lower effective property rate than many other major cities nationally. State of play: City leaders have cited inflation as well as federal funding cuts under the new Trump administration as justification for the increase. Stakeholders expect the increase to be in the neighborhood of 30%. The Metro Council must approve the rate increase, and could actually propose an even higher rate as part of its review of O'Connell's budget plan. Between the lines: Setting the property tax rate can be a confusing bureaucratic process in budget cycles when there is also a property reappraisal, which takes place every four years. The results of the most recent reappraisal were release earlier this month. There, Assessor of Property Vivian Wilhoite's office concluded the average property value increased 45% over the last four years. State law prevents local governments from making more tax revenue as a result of the reappraisal process. That means Nashville's tax rate will be reduced by about 45% as part of a process called equalization. Yes, but: Local governments are allowed to raise the rate separately from that process, and O'Connell has been clear that he intends to propose raising the rate over the equalization number. The difference between the equalization rate reduction and O'Connell's proposed new rate hike will constitute the tax increase that most property owners will pay. The other side: A trio of conservative groups — the local chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the Nashville Tea Party and GOP-Nashville — announced a coalition to oppose the likely increase. What we're watching: O'Connell is required to file his budget plan prior to this Thursday,May 1, when he will deliver the annual state of Metro address at the downtown library. O'Connell won't pursue grocery sales tax change Zoom out: O'Connell also announced at his weekly media availability last week that he will not propose a reduction in Nashville's sales tax on groceries, a move that his office had previously said it was considering. O'Connell's office said it is not currently pursuing a reduction over concerns about the wording of the state law. According to the law, county and city governments, but not Metro-style governments, like Nashville, can reduce the sales tax on groceries. In 2024, the Legislature, led by state Rep. William Lamberth, passed a bill into law allowing local governments to reduce their portion of the sales tax on groceries. Hendersonville's city government took advantage of the law and reduced its tax. The other side: Lamberth tells Axios the spirit of that proposal was to allow all local governments to reduce the tax.
Local Sweden
26-03-2025
- Business
- Local Sweden
Will Europe's high-speed ‘Metro-style' rail network really happen?
A Copenhagen-based think tank has unveiled an ambitious plan to create a 21st-century integrated pan-European 'Metro-style' rail network by 2040. But how realistic is it? Advertisement 'A truly integrated rail system is no longer just a matter of convenience; it's a strategic necessity for Europe's resilience in the 21st century," reads the 'Starline' report. 'Designed like a Metro system, Starline changes how Europeans perceive their own continent – not as a collection of distant capitals, but as a single, fast-moving network where every connection, whether for people or goods, is within easy reach.' Sounds great, and the think-tank has published a map to demonstrate how 39 cities across Europe, from Dublin to Kyiv and Helsinki to Lisbon, could be connected - the map uses a common diagrammatic Metro map style, which is known to sometimes ignore real-world geography in favour of easier understanding for travellers. So how realistic is this proposal? Map of the proposed Starline European connections. Map: 21st Europe Geography Munich to Milan via Zurich is a straight vertical line on the map, which ignores the existence of Innsbruck and the minor geographical obstacle that is the Alps. Advertisement It also connects Estonia's capital Tallinn with Finland's Helsinki via a still-on-the-drawing-board €20 billion tunnel that – if it is completed, with earliest projections setting a date sometime in the 2030s – would be the longest rail tunnel in the world. The project would also require a tunnel under the Irish Sea, which drops at its deepest point more than 300m below sea level, to connect Liverpool and Dublin. A possible future direct link between Glasgow and Belfast, meanwhile, would face the same problems as former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's dead cat plan for a bridge or tunnel to connect Scotland and Northern Ireland. What actually is it? Starline's proposal appears to involve being a train operator - the trains would be blue, with 'quiet carriages' and family spaces - while also coordinating European ticketing systems and building quite a lot of new infrastructure. In addition to the new tunnels and tracks required, the proposal specifies: "The trains will arrive at new stations built just outside major cities with connections to existing urban transport systems." It would also create an 'open' ticketing system, where passengers could buy tickets for anywhere in Europe on a single platform - similar to the British online platform Trainline, which also sells tickets in Europe. It is not specified exactly how this would fit in with the existing rail operators that already run services around Europe, many of whom are publicly funded, other than to say that national rail operators would be "responsible for specific routes under a common framework". They add that "harmonised labour agreements" would be required for rail employees - we'll let them break that one to the famously militant French rail unions. Advertisement Who pays? Which brings us to the question of funding. According to its Starline blueprint, 21st Europe proposes 'central coordination for trains, passenger experience, and technology while allowing national rail operators to run routes under a franchise model.' It adds: "Starline should be structured as a publicly funded, privately operated system, designed to maximise efficiency while ensuring strong public oversight". Many European countries do, of course, already provide public funding for rail operators - such as France's SNCF, Spain's Renfe and Germany's Deutsche Bahn. Advertisement Starline's proposal would seem to involve the hundreds of billions in infrastructure spending being publicly funded, and operated by national rail companies – all overseen by an as-yet non-existent European Rail Authority (ERA). 'Now, we begin building the network to push for real change, bringing together policymakers, designers, and industry leaders to turn vision into action,' the think tank said. Reasons for change Some slight issues of practicality aside, the Starline report does identify many real problems with Europe's rail network. Ticketing issues, a lack of co-ordination and integration across borders means travelling between countries in Europe can be 'fragmented, slow, and expensive'. The think tank says unifying design is key to a cross-border travel network. 'Stations feel disconnected, trains vary wildly in design, and the journey itself is rarely considered as part of the experience,' it says of the current system. And it is looking to build on an existing EU initiative to unify transport across the bloc, known as the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). TEN-T, which Starline lambasts as lacking in speed and ambition, seeks to develop a network of railways, inland waterways, short sea shipping routes and roads linking urban nodes, maritime and inland ports, airports and terminals for the 'efficient transportation for people and goods, ensures access to jobs and services, and enables trade and economic growth'. It seeks to work with European state and private rail operators, offer funding for infrastructure projects and create Europe-wide systems such as a common rail signalling system. Even with all these problems, cross-border rail travel is rapidly growing in popularity as travellers become more conscious of their environmental impact. 'A bold shift to high-speed rail might be Europe's best chance to meet its 2050 net-zero goals while ensuring mobility remains both fast and green,' the think tank said. In 2022, the transport sector contributed approximately 29 per cent of the EU's total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the European Environment Agency. There are good economic reasons for it too - 'When China expanded its high-speed rail network, cities with HSR connections experienced a 14.2 percent increase in GDP, and each new HSR line contributed an additional 7.2 percent to urban GDP growth,' the think tank explained in its online brochure. 'A European project of similar scale could drive investment, unlock regional economies, and make the single market feel like a single market – physically, not just economically.'
