Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro consultation
Rail Freight Group (RFG) is pleased to submit a formal response to the Welsh Government’s Consultation on new rail services aimed at creating a Swansea Bay and west Wales Metro.
RFG has submitted this response in free format as it noted both the Consultation Document and the accompanying Response Form refer solely to matters relating to passenger travel and to the Welsh Language, both of which are outside its remit. This submission focuses on pertinent issues that are not directly covered by the Consultation but are relevant to the overall implications of the proposals for the future use of the rail network.
General Policy Framework
RFG fully supports any proposals for increased use of the rail network, such as those set out in the Consultation Document, providing the interests of the rail freight sector are protected in terms of both the capacity and the capability of the network for continuing use by existing freight flows and its ability to handle future growth.
The Consultation Document is long on the proposed options and outcomes but makes no mention of how these are to be delivered or of the network infrastructure implications, except for a couple of passing references to new or reopened lines.
