Latest news with #WesternGatewayPartnership
Business News Wales
4 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Local Authorities Commit to Collaboration as Western Gateway Partnership Ends
The leaders of the cities which founded the Western Gateway Partnership have committed to continuing collaboration as the official pan-regional arrangement comes to an end. The partnership started as a collaboration between the cities of Cardiff, Newport and Bristol in 2016. It officially became recognised as a Pan-Regional Partnership in 2019 when the UK Government began to offer core funding alongside local support from councils and businesses. Since then, the partnership, which brought together local leaders with business and universities to champion growth and attract investment, grew to cover 28 local authorities. In March the UK Government decided not to continue funding Pan-Regional Partnerships, instead looking to English Combined Authorities to drive cross-region collaboration. Despite strong buy in from business and local authorities, without core funding the Pan-Regional Partnership is ceasing to operate on June 6. The Western Gateway has attracted more than £100 million investment to create the next generation of nuclear technology in the South West at the Severn Edge Low Carbon Energy Park and brought in more than £10 million to support the area's growing hydrogen supercluster. It was responsible for delivering the first locally supported cross border plan for better rail transport and holding three national conventions, bringing together industry, business and politicians with Welsh and UK ministers to put the area on the national stage. It also provided a platform for the area at some of the largest investment conferences in the UK and Europe, hosting the Western Gateway Pavilion at the UK's Real Estate, investment and infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) for the last four years in a row. Cllr Huw Thomas, Leader of Cardiff Council, said: 'It's been great to be a board member of the Western Gateway as we've developed and changed as a partnership. 'As a founding member of the Great Western Cities initiative in 2016 that formed the basis for the Western Gateway, I know our leaders recognise that we need to work together to make decisions which can benefit all of our communities. I look forward to developing how we build on this work to continue delivering on our combined potential.' Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, Leader of Newport Council, said: 'Our area's potential for growth is unmatched. South Wales and Western England are forecast to grow faster than any UK region outside London and strengthen the Union and as local leaders, we are committed to making sure we can deliver on that potential. 'We know business sees no borders and with over 100,000 car journeys across the M4 bridge every day, cross border working will be essential for our area to ensure we can make decisions which capitalise on our potential.' Cllr Tony Dyer, Leader of Bristol City Council, said: 'Bristol has been a key member of the Western Gateway Partnership since it's inception and continues to see a huge benefit in working across borders to ensure we capitalise on our combined potential. With world leading expertise in creatives, green energy, high value manufacturing, AI and engineering, we have the potential to be world leading. 'I am confident that the relationships we've built up through our time in the Western Gateway won't stop here. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues across the Severn and in the West of England to ensure we are delivering for the communities we represent.' Most recently, the Western Gateway's independent Severn Estuary Commission revealed its recommendations to a packed room of industry and politicians in Westminster. Their proposals showed that a tidal lagoon scheme in the estuary could deliver up to 2-3% of the UK's total energy supply, adding £12 billion to the UK Economy during the construction phase alone. Their recommendations have backing from Welsh Government, the Crown Estate, the Institution for Civil Engineers alongside environmental groups and local businesses. Recent reports suggest that this work will be taken forward by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority and Cardiff Capital Region working together. Sarah Williams-Gardener, Chair of the Western Gateway, said: 'It has been an absolute privilege to chair such a bold and visionary partnership. This collaboration has shown the extraordinary potential of our region when business, industry, and political leaders unite behind a shared ambition. Thanks to the dedication of a truly outstanding team — and the vital support of our board — we've made a real, lasting impact. 'What we've achieved together demonstrates that transformative growth is possible when we look beyond traditional boundaries. I've been genuinely inspired by the readiness of our board members to come together, rising above political lines to focus on what truly matters. To see representatives from five political parties, 28 local authorities and two Governments working side by side — with shared purpose and a deep commitment to the region's future — has been nothing short of remarkable. 'While national support for pan-regional partnerships may be waning, I'm confident the momentum we've built will endure — because the need for collaboration, innovation, and ambition has never been greater.'
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cross-border Western Gateway Partnership facing end of the road after UK Government ends funding
The future of the cross-border Western Gateway Partnership, established to champion the economies and investment potential of south Wales and the west of England, is in serious doubt. It comes after a UK Government decision to pull its £1m core funding. The partnership supported by local authorities, city regions, businesses, and universities from Pembrokeshire to Swindon, was set up four years ago, partly in response to the growing influence of the Northern Powerhouse, which advocates for greater investment in the north of England. However, after Chancellor Rachel Reeves first announced plans to end funding for trans-regional partnerships across the UK, subject to public consultation, in her Budget last autumn, the Westminster Government has now confirmed it is ending its £1m annual commitment to the Western Gateway Partnership, which will cease to operate in its current from June 6th. The UK Government's rationale is that the five pan-regional partnerships impacted have English mayoral combined authorities within their borders that can now take on their roles. However, the Western Gateway Partnership said this failed to take account of its unique cross-border remit and where in south Wales there is no mayoral combined authority. It said it had have attempted to engage with the UK Government and Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution, Jim McMahon, on numerous occasions, but had been denied a meeting. Alongside its core funding from the UK Government, the partnership has secured around £700,000 in investment and in-kind support in its last year from the private sector and local authorities. It hasn't received funding from the Welsh Government. The secretariat of the partnership employs 10. All have received redundancy letters, with a few staff expected to remain until June.. Last week the partnership's Severn Estuary Commission, which was set up last year to look at how to commercialise clean energy from the Severn Estuary, concluded that the most viable route for harnessing one of the world's highest tidal ranges in the world, is through a lagoon approach and not a tidal barrage. READ MORE: Forget Heathrow expansion we need to create new hub airports in places like south Wales READ MORE: Tidal lagoons and not a barrage best solution for Severn Estuary says commission It is unclear what form what cross-border collaboration, particularly in advocating for tidal power investment in the Severn Estuary, will now take going forward. Successes achieved by the partnership included securing £100m from the UK Government and private sector for the development of new nuclear technology under the Severn Edge initiative. Additionally, it has established a 'super cluster' to explore the use of hydrogen to decarbonise industry. It has also outlined a series of rail enhancement projects necessary to address decades of under investment by both Tory and Labour UK governments on both sides of the border. While it will cease to operate in its current form after June 6th, the partnership said it is committed to providing a platform for the 28 local authorities its covers by taking part at the 2025 the UK's Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum, from May 20-22. The partnership said the event will provide an opportunity for all the local authorities to come together to drive investment and discuss future options for continuing cross border collaboration. Chair of the Western Gateway Partnership, Sarah Williams-Gardener, said: 'This is a hugely disappointing decision from the UK Government. Despite representation from Welsh Government calling for talks on how both governments can work together on this, requests to meet from business and locally elected leaders and MPs, they have refused to engage with any of us from our area on this decision. 'It's been a great journey we've been on having delivered hundreds of millions of pounds of investment into key sites across the area; putting together a credible, locally supported cross border economic plan for growth which recognises our natural economic geography; and bringing together leaders from across the political spectrum to deliver for the 4.8 million people who live here. 'Whilst the UK Government have decided to put the brakes on this massive economic opportunity, I and our board of local authority leaders are committed to ensuring we can still deliver on our area's potential. The evidence our partnership has uncovered shows that our area can become the fastest growing economy outside of London and we will do what we can to achieve this, with or without the Government's help.'
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Severn Barrage ruled out by commission which backs tidal lagoons
A huge Severn Barrage with the potential to generate around 7% of the UK's energy needs has been ruled out by an independent commission which instead is recommending over the long-term a series of commercially viable tidal lagoons. Last year the cross-border Western Gateway Partnership set up an independent commission to assess the potential for renewable projects in the Severn Estuary. The final report from the Severn Estuary Commission said a barrage, that would create reliable and clean energy from one of the world's highest tidal ranges, should not be pursued at this stage, due to its environmental impact, legislative challenges and disruption to ports, such as Bristol, and other commercial activities. Rather than a tidal barrage, for which there have been numerous proposals over the years, it says that a series of commercial tidal lagoons could be developed - although at this stage not specifying any numbers or potential locations. READ MORE: Wales to stage Tour de France race as major announcement to be made this week READ MORE: Joint home nations bid to host men's World Cup floated by Welsh soccer boss The commission said the focus should be on an initial commercially viable demonstration tidal lagoon project, which depending on its scale could range in cost from £2bn to £40bn. It said it would also provide environmental monitoring to help shape any further lagoon projects. With UK electricity demand set to more than double by 2050, the commission have called for urgent investment for what they said could be the last opportunity to realise the clean tidal energy potential of the Severn Estuary. It is calling on the UK and Welsh governments to align their policies underpinned by a tidal range energy national (UK) policy statement, which it said would further establish clear policy backing, confirm government commitment, enhance investor confidence and enable public sector investment in environmental research and monitoring. The commission, chaired by Dr Andrew Garrad, a leading pioneer of the modern wind energy industry, spent a year engaging with more than 500 individuals and over 200 organisations, to gauge the potential for finally harnessing the power of the UK's largest tidal range following proposals going back decades. Plans for the £1.3n Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon were rejected by the then UK Government of Theresa May in 2018 on a value for money assessment with regards to the required contract for difference subsidy. The company behind what would have been effectively a proof of concept lagoon, Tidal Lagoon Power, planned a series of larger lagoons in the estuary, including one off the coast of Cardiff. The commission's report calls for the use of the regulated asset base (RAB) financing model to help de-risk the construction phase of the demonstration project. This would see investors receiving a guaranteed return on investment for the lifetime of the lagoon, with the cost recovered through energy prices charged to consumers. The RAB finance model was used to fund construction of the Thames Tideway Tunnel and is being proposed for the planned Sizewell C nuclear power station project. The report from the commission, consisting of nationally and internationally recognised engineers, financiers, scientists and other experts, also recommends that: Both the UK and Welsh Government back the development of a commercially viable demonstration tidal lagoon in the Severn Estuary, which if successful would pave the way for further projects securing economic growth and long-term energy resilience and making the UK a global hub for tidal range energy: Improving cross-border working and planning to ensure any new development can be strategically delivered to ensure best outcomes for the area; and A public sector led initial development approach and the establishment a project delivery vehicle using existing organisations. Dr Garrad said: 'This last year has been an eye-opening experience for all of us on the commission, understanding the huge potential of this source of renewable energy and also the international environmental importance of the estuary. Indeed, what sets this commission aside from previous studies is the emphasis that it has placed on the environment. 'Electricity demand will increase with the widespread uptake of electric vehicles, electrification of heating, industry and proliferation of data centres. We urgently need to get serious about how we can make use of our natural resources to meet this demand whilst also tackling our carbon emissions. 'Given the likely timelines for developing a project of this scale, we need to act now to ensure we can deliver the energy when it is needed and at the same time safeguard the environment.' At this stage the commission has not given a figure on the level of energy output potential for a demonstration lagoon or any further projects, but that it would be be significant. Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans said: 'We want to make Wales a world centre for emerging tidal technologies, and the Severn Estuary is a source of immense potential energy as one of the highest tidal ranges in the world. I welcome the work of the Severn Estuary Commission and I look forward to working with the UK Government and the Western Gateway to make sure that we can harness its potential whilst also protecting this unique asset.' Sarah Williams-Gardener, chair of the Western Gateway, said: 'After many years of debate, we now know that the huge potential of tidal energy in the Severn can and should play a key part in our energy supply. 'We need urgent action to make the most of this opportunity. A lagoon project (demonstration) could not only deliver predictable renewable energy, it could also add up to £12bn gross value added to the UK economy and 220,000 job years in the construction phase. 'I am very grateful to the work of this commission to explore this huge opportunity for the UK. On behalf of our board of local authorities, I look forward to working with both UK and Welsh Government to make this a reality.' The Western Gateway Partnership, which is backed by local authorities and the private and education sector from Carmarthenshire to Swindon, was established to champion the economies and investment potential of south Wales and the west of England. It is now facing the loss of its key funding contribution of £1m a year from the UK Government. However, the partnership said that its stakeholders are committed to backing efforts to realise commercially viable tidal lagoon energy generation in the estuary.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Plans for faster trains and 30 new stations
Major plans to nearly halve rail journey times between cities and rural spots across the West have been shared. Under the proposals, 30 new stations will be built, an additional 23 services per hour will be launched and six stations will be upgraded across the south west of England and south Wales. If approved, the Western Gateway Partnership's Rail Deal will see journeys from Bristol to London reduced to an hour, and Bristol to Cardiff shortened to 30 minutes. Sarah Williams-Gardener, chair of the partnership, said the area is "poised to be the fastest-growing region outside of London". Leaders of the partnership gathered in Cardiff on Tuesday to launch the deal, which could cost up to £11bn and be partly funded by central government. If delivered, organisers believe it will add an extra £17bn to the UK economy and could see an extra 248,000 people connected to stations in rural areas including south Wales, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset. "It [south Wales and the west of England] has not had the critical investment in public transport infrastructure that other areas of the country have seen, particularly in rail," Ms Williams-Gardener said. "This Rail Deal is deliverable and proportionate to the extraordinary offer that our economy presents to the UK." Dan Okey from Great Western Railway said they have "worked with partners for several years" on the plans and welcome the "collective ambition for investment". "We know that rail connectivity plays a vital role in supporting our communities and the plans for sustainable economic growth," he said. Improving the rail network could also help to shift freight from roads to rail, reducing carbon emissions, the deal's report states. As part of their ambitions to reach net zero, leaders hope to "address the gaps in electrification that lead to a high proportion of diesel services being run" across the area, the deal's report states. The Western Gateway is made up of local authorities, businesses and universities from across the south west of England and south Wales. A full Report on the deal proposals was published on Tuesday. Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630. Rail company defends 'disgraceful' Sunday disruption Rail passengers warned of 'significant disruption' Storm Bert causes widespread rail disruption Western Gateway Partnership
BBC News
28-01-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Major plans to halve train journey times and build new stations unveiled
Major plans to nearly halve rail journey times between cities and rural spots across the West have been the proposals, 30 new stations will be built, an additional 23 services per hour will be launched and six stations will be upgraded across the south west of England and south approved, the Western Gateway Partnership's Rail Deal will see journeys from Bristol to London reduced to an hour, and Bristol to Cardiff shortened to 30 Williams-Gardener, chair of the partnership, said the area is "poised to be the fastest-growing region outside of London". Leaders of the partnership gathered in Cardiff on Tuesday to launch the deal, which could cost up to £11bn and be partly funded by central government. If delivered, organisers believe it will add an extra £17bn to the UK economy and could see an extra 248,000 people connected to stations in rural areas including south Wales, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset. "It [south Wales and the west of England] has not had the critical investment in public transport infrastructure that other areas of the country have seen, particularly in rail," Ms Williams-Gardener said."This Rail Deal is deliverable and proportionate to the extraordinary offer that our economy presents to the UK."Dan Okey from Great Western Railway said they have "worked with partners for several years" on the plans and welcome the "collective ambition for investment". "We know that rail connectivity plays a vital role in supporting our communities and the plans for sustainable economic growth," he the rail network could help to shift freight from roads to rail, reducing carbon emissions, the deal's report also hope to "address the gaps in electrification that lead to a high proportion of diesel services being run" across the Western Gateway is made up of local authorities, businesses and universities from across the south west of England and south Wales.A full Report on the deal proposals was published on Tuesday.
