Skip to main content

A future vision for transport in Wales

A new report by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Cymru Wales, Vision 2035: Cymru Wales, looks to the future and visualises how transport and logistics in Wales would develop, taking account of population changes, technological developments and social and political change. By 2035, Wales will be making decisions on all aspects of transport, including air passenger duty, rail franchising and road policy. There will also be greater government involvement in public transport operatio
November 13, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
A new report by the 6500 Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Cymru Wales, Vision 2035: Cymru Wales, looks to the future and visualises how transport and logistics in Wales would develop, taking account of population changes, technological developments and social and political change.

By 2035, Wales will be making decisions on all aspects of transport, including air passenger duty, rail franchising and road policy. There will also be greater government involvement in public transport operations, with not-for-profit business models being adopted.

The report indicates that will be significant enhancements in the transport network, with electrification on all major rail routes. Journeys to London from all parts of Wales will be quicker, using trains that can achieve at least 140mph. Some additional road capacity will be provided, but driverless vehicles will improve road network capacity.

Urban areas, such as the city regions, will be characterised by metro-style systems using bus and rail based technology and focused on interchanges. These interchanges will be centres of economic activity, both retail and employment, and designed to include walking and cycling. Car-sharing will be normal for journeys that cannot be completed by public transport.

Providing cost effective rural transport will be a challenge. Rural railways that are not electrified will need innovative solutions such as providing shared coach and rail routes. Demand responsive bus services will be widespread, while electric vehicles will be more common. Deliveries of goods are likely to be to community based hubs, for collection by customers rather than to shops.

International connectivity will see Cardiff Airport handling around 4.5 million passengers, with a range of long and short haul destinations. However, capacity constraints in South East England may make this an underestimate. Welsh ports will also develop more services, particularly to handle container traffic.

The report also highlights some potential developments after 2035. High speed rail lines from South Wales to London and Northern England will be planned, offering journey times from Cardiff of less than one hour. Discussions will also be taking place regarding a rail tunnel from Holyhead to Dublin, as a major European transport corridor.

“As an essential part of the economy, it is hoped Vision 2035 provides a long term view of transport in Wales,” commented Dr Andrew Potter, Chair of CILT Cymru Wales. “By thinking now about the opportunities and challenges ahead, better solutions can be found that make a real difference to passengers and businesses alike”.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Car-free zones part of London 'reimagining'
    May 18, 2020
    Parts of central London will become “one of the largest car-free zones in any capital city in the world”, according to the city’s mayor Sadiq Khan.
  • Manchester seeks smart but not selective transport solutions
    January 25, 2018
    Smarter transport relies on better communications both with travellers and between transport providers. Andrew Williams reports. Inrix’s prediction that the cost of traffic congestion will rise by 63% to £21bn per year by 2030 clearly illustrates that, in addition to the ongoing inconvenience and inefficiency, ongoing gridlock is a significant drain on the economy. It is against this backdrop that a Cisco-led consortium has launched CitySpire, a smart transport programme that uses location-based services a
  • Closer running and investment to boost capacity of Britain’s railways, says new report
    January 4, 2017
    Closer running to increase the frequency of train services, alongside investment in new railway infrastructure, are recommendations to boost UK rail capacity in the new report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Transportation Research Laboratory (TRL). The report, Increasing capacity; putting Britain’s railways back on track, makes recommendations to meet growing rail passenger demand, which is forecast to double by the 2040s. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers and TRL are offering s
  • Digital Transformation is the way to comprehensive transportation 
    March 31, 2021
    Transportation worldwide needs to keep up with a variety of challenges: Frederic Giron of Forrester Consulting explains how digital technologies will be the key to making the necessary changes...