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Wales’ first public transport summit announced

By Emily Price
Headline speakers at the TfW transport summit

Transport for Wales (TfW) has announced its headline speakers for Wales' first public transport summit.

Designed to bring together both Wales and England’s influential transport and business leaders, the two-day Summit will look to unlock economic prosperity through the public transport lens.

The event will take place on May 22nd and 23rd in Wrexham, north Wales.

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Change

The summit will provide an opportunity for the public, private and tertiary sector to work together and share visions for the future of public transport in Wales and the Borders.

It will include themed speaker and panel sessions, an innovation lab, themed workshops, an exhibition zone, a networking reception, an active travel tour of Wrexham’s regeneration plans and dinner at Wrexham SToK Racecourse.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates

Speakers will include Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of Wrexham AFC Michael Williamson, Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and Director of Ambition North Wales Alwen Williams.

For the past six years, TfW has been transforming Welsh public transport including investing £800 billion into brand-new trains and over £1 billion into the South Wales Metro.

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Future

Transport Secretary Ken Skates said: "Public transport is being transformed for the better in Wales, including through our investment in new trains and an exciting future for buses through our Bus Bill.

"I’m looking forward to Wales’ first Public Transport Summit where we will have an opportunity to all work together across all sectors and on a cross-border basis.”

James Price, Transport for Wales CEO said: "This will be Wales’ first Public Transport Summit and we have an array of very influential and interesting speakers, who will be joining us and be part of the discussion about the future of public transport in Wales and the Borders.

"This is about building collaborative working partnerships between all sectors within the transport industry and offering a joined-up vision for the future.

"I’d encourage all representatives from across the transport sector and business community within Wales and the Borders to join us for this event."

For Summit information, speakers and tickets, please visit: www.tfw.wales/summit

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11 comments

robin campbell

Will they be discussing the £4 billion Wales has been cheated out of?

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Peter Cuthbert

Just in case anybody is considering following the link above, it does not work. Use this link to get to the right site. [https://web.cvent.com/event/58cb438f-a24d-4577-a652-84b57c134b2c/websitePage:3a673ff8-8d67-4661-8e42-0a1176db3c2c] However this is the Cymraeg version. The link to the English version does not work. This is, of course TfW, so no surprise there!

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Bert

https://tfw.wales/summit seems to be working now.

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andy w

The speaker line-up is excellent. I used to work for Network Rail until 2014 and they led some excellent initiatives to Level-Up the UK by moving jobs out of London to Milton Keynes and developed design / engineering hubs to create well paid jobs in the public sector and reduce consultant spend. Andy Burnham has control over £4bn pension funds and should be encouraged to invest in new organisations near Rhyls Integrated Transport hub that create well-paid jobs and not seasonal tourism.

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Bert

The one glaring omission is any senior civil servant from the DfT itself but I guess they're too busy prioritising London.

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andy w

Bert, i like Swiss economics. Switzerland focuses on well-paid jobs, long and slow freight and passenger trains, no useless events like Olympics and lots of economists involved in decision making. Wales has an excellent Procurement Professor in Jane Lynch at Cardiff University and she is focused on the foundational economy https://foundationaleconomy.com/introduction/#:~:text=But%2C%20for%20ordinary%20citizens%2C%20what,%2C%20education%2C%20utilities%20and%20food.&text=democratic%20rights.

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Bert

One area for discussion is how value for money of transport investment is assessed. Too often proposals only consider current demand and medium term returns while ignoring how the local and regional economy can be influenced by new transport links, with the resulting transformation lasting generations. One example is reopening the Aberystwyth to Carmarthen line which is dismissed by some because existing demand is too low yet this ignores that existing demand is based on non-existent public transport links. By aligning this investment with wider regeneration projects such as turning Lampeter into a new town with a new purpose, such as government hub or international science park, a stronger case can be made.

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andy

Bert, in February 1999 i worked for the Quebec Government. American Airlines bought Canadian Airlines International and launched a failed hostile takeover of Air Canada. American Airlines had planned to repaint all the planes as American Airlines and so all the governments of Eastern Canada merged their transport teams - so Canada did not lose its' cultural identity. Wales needs more alignment between airports and rail. Swansea train station for example should have at least four trains per hour to Cardiff Airport - then M4 is less busy and TfW gets more revenue.

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A Gray

Will someone show the TFW reps a map showing the parts of Wales they have forgotten, like all of the places south of Aberaeron and across to Carmarthen. It is called South West Wales, a very big area. There are no such things as trains, very few bus services, I liveon the main A487 road, we do not have a passing bus service. Our doctors practice is 3 to4 miles away, no public transport at all passes anywhere near to it. Please show us some thought,not just keep rubbing it in, how many billions you are spending around Cardiff and the Valleys.

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Charles Coombes

And will end with nothing for Mid Wales. All will be focused on the South and Valleys!

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Boris

A mid Wales rail question: Why don't any of the Aberystwyth and Pwllheli services run to Cardiff?

Reply

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https://tfw.wales/summit seems to be working now.

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