Issue - meetings

To receive a presentation from representatives from Transport for Wales.

That the committee thanked Alex Fortune from Transport for Wales for the presentation and noted the contents thereof.

The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) clarified that this presentation was produced following a request from this committee and that it provided information on the development and aspirations for the line following the implementation of the new franchise in 2018.  He confirmed that the Council was not responsible for the line but worked closely with neighbouring authorities, and the operator Transport for Wales (TFW) to develop the line and with shared aspirations the work would link into the Council’s Metro plans.  He confirmed that the track and signals were owned by Network Rail with the franchise managed by (TFW) who were undertaking a desk top study of the line to establish what constraints could impede the aims and aspirations for the line.

            The Chief Officer introduced Alex Fortune, The Rail Project Sponsor in Wales for Transport for Wales who worked closely with Network Rail and colleagues to help deliver these plans.  Mr Fortune commenced the detailed presentation to committee which included slides on the following:-

Ø  North Wales Metro –

·         A transformation of bus and rail services

·         Making it easier and faster to travel between the North Wales Coast, Wrexham, Deeside, and Merseyside in North East Wales.

·         Improved interchange at Shotton for the North Wales Coast Line.

·         New station at Deeside Parkway

Ø  Infrastructure

Ø  Stations & Usage

Ø  New trains

            The Chief Officer (Streetscene and Transportation) commented on the local issues of bridge strikes and to the bids placed last year to assist with dealing with these which were regularly happening on the route and the implications this caused commuters when this happened.  He confirmed the Council’s aspiration was that this line became a major commuter line which needed to be reliable.  He referred to the successful bid to put interactive signage along all of the low bridges along the route which included Cefn-y-Bedd, Shotton and Padeswood and explained how this would worked to alert drivers of high vehicles.   He then provided information on the bid placed to raise the bridge or lower the road and to the study carried out on the three sites to lower the road.  It was not possible to lower the road at Shotton and Cefn-y-Bedd and that because of local issues this was possible at Padeswood.

The Chief Officer then referred to the two station improvements and said that Shotton was not as advanced as the Parkway station, which was part of the Metro Transport Strategy.  He said it was key to the development of integrated strategies to developer a commuter line linked to Penyffordd with a park and ride to encourage commuters not to use their cars.

            Councillor Sean Bibby thanked Mr Fortune and the Chief Officer for the presentation which was very positive.  He raised the following questions:-

·         An update on the redevelopment of Shotton Station.

·         Referring to Deeside Parkway he asked what would be the future for Hawarden Bridge. 

·         With regard to Disabled Access he reported on a number of issues raised by residents concerning Shotton Station and asked what measures  ...  view the full minutes text for item 47