Ken Skates, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales
Today I am launching Network North Wales.
At its heart will be metro services and today I am announcing the steps we are taking to deliver them.
Network North Wales is a hugely ambitious and transformative programme of work to better connect communities, with more rail and bus services, new stations, new transport routes, new trains, new buses and new technology.
At its heart will be the North Wales metro services. This will take a cross-border approach to transforming public transport in the Mersey-Dee area, including metro style services on the North Wales mainline and a new, direct rail link between Wrexham and Liverpool.
The vision for the programme is backed up by a delivery plan which covers short-term (0-12 months), medium-term (1-3 and 5 years) and long-term (to 2035 and beyond).
I have reshaped Transport budgets to provide sufficient investment to deliver immediate priorities, including bringing forward the 50% increase in services across the North Wales mainline to May from December of next year, increasing train services between Wrexham and Chester by 100% from next May, introducing Pay as You Go technology in North Wales from next year, exploring the feasibility of a new test railway station at Deeside Industrial Park and a new electrification innovation fund.
To ensure delivery, a Network North Steering Board has been set up which includes Transport for Wales, Network Rail, Ambition North Wales, Growth Track 360, the Liverpool City Region, the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee and the Department of Transport; and I’m chairing it personally to help drive progress.
I have also accepted an invitation from Metro Mayors Steve Rotherham and Andy Burnham to join the Board overseeing the Northern Arc, which will stretch from Holyhead to Hull.
Details of the vision for the programme and the delivery plan for Network North Wales can be found here: tfw.wales/NetworkNorthWales/Brochure