Transport Minister aims to get people out of cars with new trains, hydrogen buses and tripling walking and cycling routes in Swansea Bay

Brand new trains, hydrogen fuelled buses and tripling walking and cycling routes – these are just some of the ways the Welsh Government plans to “make the right thing to do, the easy thing to do” according to Deputy Minister Lee Waters.

The Deputy Climate Change Minister – who has responsibility for transport – provided an update on how transport plans are progressing across Wales.

In Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire – the Swansea Bay area -the minister said that work on creating an integrated transport network is progressing well.

He says that while detailed development and design work takes shape, the Welsh Government has taken steps to make changes to improve public transport and active travel in the short term.

This includes the popular decision to combine bus and rail tickets on the T1 Traws Cymru service linking Aberystwyth and Carmarthen and converting the vehicles and depot facilities to battery electric operation.

As part of this more immediate work TfW is also developing two large scale pilots for Swansea Bay and the Haven Waterway to introduce a fleet of hydrogen fuel cell buses by the mid-2020s, supporting the wider decarbonisation of the bus fleet in Wales.

Increased capacity on services to West Wales and between Southwest Wales and Manchester are planned, as well as developing options for additional and faster intercity mainline services, complemented by a comprehensive, high frequency bus network serving urban areas in Swansea, Neath, Llanelli, and Port Talbot.

Deputy Minister Lee Waters said: “We are all focused on building a new transport system that is high quality and sustainable.

“I want to make the right thing to do the easy thing to do and that means encouraging more people out of their cars to walk, cycle, or use public transport.

“We do that by improving our public transport and active travel network routes – it makes sense that people will choose to travel this way if low carbon transport options become more attractive, more affordable and easier to use.”

“It’s also the right and responsible thing to do for the environment and essential as we work towards a stronger, greener, fairer Wales.”

(Lead image: TfW)