Call me a cynic if you will but a lot of this is still wild speculation. The First Ministers Statement last week didnt tell us anything we didnt already know.
The Metro Stage 1 is frankly a load of bulls**t. The Welsh Government are talking up the success of the extension of Ebbw Vale Town Centre as though it's part of the Metro when frankly the 4-5 extra miles of single track is something which frankly should have been done back in 2006/7 or whenever the line reopened.
The WG likes talking up it's investment in rail in Wales, which has done a lot of good things, but their utter failure to address the rolling stock issue, which is going to come to ahead in four years and three weeks time is truly shocking.
Im also becoming increasingly irritated by the presence of that map both in documents produced by/for the WG and in the media. The map on that article is different to the one issued by the WG last week this one doesnt include Monmouth the one issued by the WG does. But even the WGs one carries the warning that it is a potential map and I fear too many members of the public will get carried away by the idea of a new rail/tram station in Monmouth in the east and Porthcawl to single another one out in the west if they keep seeing London Underground style maps.
In terms of Monmouth, the First Minister was asked a direct question about it:
Nick Ramsey: There have been a number of different maps published over the years. Early ones, from what I remember, had MonmouthIll let you turn to the Monmouth page in your briefingon the map. It disappeared, worryingly, on more recent maps, probably down to cost. I believe it is now back on the map. It certainly is on the map on the Welsh Government website, which Ive got in front of meintriguingly, linked to the Celtic Manor and Malpas. Is the town definitely back on that map? If so, what mode and what frequency of transport is being considered? I presume its going to be bus. What frequency of services are being considered?
First Minister: Yes, as the Member will have heard me say in the statement, we are considering, for example, whether a combined procurement process for the two would be the most efficient way forward. But, yes, clearly, the two are connected. When I stood with my good friend and colleague, Mick Antoniw, on the platformthe longest platform in Britain, actuallyin Pontypridd yesterday, I did look at the map and I did notice Monmouth there. And I noticed that because I knew that the Member would ask me about this. And, yes, hes right to say that Monmouth is there. What mode of transport? Well, not heavy rail. I think thats probably fair to say. It would either then be light rail or bus rapid transit. An assessment would have to be made of what is the most effective and efficient way for the people of Monmouth in terms of being connected with the network.
The First Minister who is coincidently the AM for Bridgend, which includes Brackla has previously confirmed that the WG has no plans to open a railway station in Brackla, despite a turf cutting ceremony for said station back in 2002, yet low and behold it appears on the map on what is clearly a railway line from Bridgend to Cardiff.
The Map also gives the impression of a
non-stop service of some sort from Porthcawl to Bridgend is that really ever likely to happen?
Oh and as for the livery design that wont be official yet, just something a designer has had saved on their computer for a while, or drew at the last minute, but again, the wild speculation of people here, the public and the media will again get us nowhere closer to the project.
Sorry rant over