Transport for Wales#Regional Metros
{{Short description|Transport authority in Wales}}
{{hatnote|This article is about the government-owned regulating company. For the former and current train operating companies branded as "Transport for Wales", see KeolisAmey Wales and Transport for Wales Rail respectively. For a general overview of public transport in Wales, see Transport in Wales. }}
{{redirect|TfW|other uses|TFW (disambiguation){{!}}TFW}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Transport for Wales
| native_name = {{lang|cy|Trafnidiaeth Cymru}}
| native_name_lang = cy
| logo = Transport wales logo18.svg
| image =
| image_border =
| alt =
| caption =
| map =
| malt =
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| abbreviation = TfW
| slogan =
| predecessor = Strategic Rail Authority (2001–2005)
Welsh Government (2005–2016)
| formation = {{start date|2016|04|01|df=y}}
| extinction =
| type = Private company limited by guarantee
| status = Wholly owned subsidiary of the Welsh Government
| purpose = Transport authority
| headquarters = 3 Llys Cadwyn Pontypridd CF37 4TH {{cite web|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09476013|title=TRANSPORT FOR WALES - Overview (free company information from Companies House)|website=Find and update company information - GOV.UK}}
| region_served = Wales and the England–Wales border
| membership =
| owner = Welsh Government
| leader_title = Chief Executive Officer
| leader_name = James Price
| main_organ = Wales & Borders franchise
| subsidiaries = Transport for Wales Rail
| affiliations =
| budget =
| website = {{Official URL}}
| remarks =
}}
Transport for Wales (TfW; {{langx|cy|Trafnidiaeth Cymru}}; {{langx|cy|TrC|label=none}}) is a not-for-profit company owned by the Welsh Government and managed at arms length by its appointed board.{{Cite web|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/09476013|title=TRANSPORT FOR WALES - Overview (free company information from Companies House)|website=Find and update company information - GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-01-30}} TfW oversees the Transport for Wales Group (TfW Group) consisting of itself and its subsidiaries: Transport for Wales Rail, the train operator of the Wales & Borders railway franchise; Pullman Rail Limited; and TfW Innovation Services Limited, a joint venture between TfW (51%) and former operator KeolisAmey Wales (49%).{{Cite book|url=https://admin.tfw.wales/sites/default/files/2021-09/TFW%20Master%20English%20-%20FINAL-21July%202021-compressed-compressed.pdf?_ga=2.100140894.1124460421.1633625964-1048175129.1631412796|title=TfW Annual Report 2020/21|date=21 July 2021|publisher=Transport for Wales|location=admin.tfw.wales}}
TfW contracted KeolisAmey Wales in 2018 to run using the trading name Transport for Wales Rail Services. Due to a fall in passengers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a Welsh-government owned company, Transport for Wales Rail Limited, took over day-to-day operations of the franchise on 7 February 2021.{{Cite web|date=2021-02-09|title=Transport for Wales rail franchise taken over by Welsh Government amid Covid Challenges|url=https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2021/02/transport-for-wales-rail-franchise-taken-over-by-welsh-government-amid-covid-challenges.html|access-date=2021-02-10|website=RailAdvent|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|date=2021-02-08|title=Wales' railway services now nationalised by the Welsh Government|url=https://nation.cymru/news/wales-railway-services-now-nationalised-by-the-welsh-government/|access-date=2021-02-10|website=Nation.Cymru|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|last=Hughes|first=Owen|date=2021-02-08|title=Wales's rail services have now been nationalised by Welsh Government|url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/waless-rail-services-now-been-19797283|access-date=2021-02-10|website=North Wales Live|language=en}}
File:QED Centre, Tresforest Industrial Estate - geograph.org.uk - 356825.jpg
History
TfW was established as an arms-length body by the Welsh Government to provide support and expertise to the transport projects in Wales.{{cite web | url = https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s124563/PAPAC6-05-22%20PTN5a%20-%20Annex%201%20WG%20PBU.pdf | format = PDF | title = Welsh Government Arm’s Length Bodies | publisher = Welsh Government | date = 1 April 2022 | access-date = 7 July 2023}}
In 2017, it procured the new Operator and Development Partner for the Wales & Borders railway franchise{{Cite web|url=https://gov.wales/transport-wales/what-we-do|title=What we do |website=gov.wales|language=en|access-date=16 April 2018}} under powers delegated to the Welsh government under the Government of Wales Act 2006.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/guidance/devolution-settlement-wales|title=Devolution settlement: Wales |website=GOV.UK |language=en|access-date=16 April 2018}}
The company introduced the Transport for Wales brand to replace the now defunct Arriva Trains Wales brand on the Wales & Borders franchise from 14 October 2018. The franchise was fully operated by KeolisAmey Wales.{{Cite web|url=https://tfwrail.wales/terms-and-conditions|title=Terms and Conditions|website=Transport for Wales|language=en|access-date=30 October 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/11391059/filing-history|title=KEOLIS AMEY WALES CYMRU LIMITED - Filing history |website=Find and update company information - GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-01-25}}{{Cite web|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/03292357/filing-history|title=KEOLIS (UK) LIMITED - Filing history (free information from Companies House)|website=Find and update company information - GOV.UK|language=en|access-date=2020-01-25}}
In the Summer 2020 the Welsh Government withdrew the Bus Services (Wales) Bill that they were developing, which would have provided local councils with the statutory power to franchise bus routes in Wales. This was because they aimed, as part of other reasons "to utilise Transport for Wales as the main delivery and procurement body for the bus system, transferring the roles from local authorities, in return for the local authorities becoming part ‘owners’ of TfW".{{cite news |title=Transport for Wales could take over council bus tendering ro |url=https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/66784/transport-for-wales-could-take-over-council-bus-tendering-role/ |access-date=11 June 2021 |work=TransportXtra |date=21 September 2021}}
On 22 October 2020, the Welsh Government announced that the Wales and Borders rail franchise was to transfer operations to a Welsh-government owned rail operator of last resort, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all staff, operations, and branding was transferred to the new company on 7 February 2021.{{Cite news|date=2020-10-22|title=Transport for Wales rail services to be nationalised|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54635421|access-date=2020-11-07}}
On 10 August 2021, TfW announced the acquisition of Cardiff-based engineering service provider Pullman Rail Ltd from Colas Rail. TfW stated this was to ensure their Canton depot "will have the required capacity and resilience to support the introduction of TfWs flagship Metro scheme alongside new rolling stock for the Wales and Borders network."{{Cite news|date=2021-08-10|title=Transport for Wales signs deal to purchase Pullman Rail Limited
|language=en-GB|work=Transport for Wales|url=https://news.tfw.wales/news/transport-for-wales-signs-deal-to-purchase-pullman-rail-limited|access-date=2022-02-17}}
On 25 November 2024, TfW launched TfW Ffeibr, a wholesale full fibre internet infrastructure company providing high-speed connectivity to the South Wales valleys. This infrastructure has allowed internet service providers to connect to the Ffeibr network, expanding coverage of larger bandwidths.{{cite web |title=From train track to big-bandwidth internet – TfW Ffeibr launches |url=https://news.tfw.wales/news/from-train-track-to-big-bandwidth-internet-tfw-ffeibr-launches |website=Transport For Wales News |access-date=20 April 2025 |language=english}}{{Cite web |title=Ffeibr's official website |url=https://ffeibr.wales/#About |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250530102754/https://ffeibr.wales/#About |archive-date=2025-05-30 |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=ffeibr.wales}}
Transport initiatives
= Regional metros =
{{see also|South Wales Metro|North Wales Metro|Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro}}
TfW is responsible for the development of the South Wales, North Wales and Swansea Bay and West Wales Metros. Both are multi-modal systems, integrating the heavy and light rail networks with local bus services, active travel and other modes of transport.{{Cite web|url=https://gov.wales/metro|title=Metro |website=gov.wales|language=en|access-date=23 October 2018}}
A North-South railway has been suggested to better link North and South Wales.{{Cite web |last=Crump |first=Eryl |date=2020-03-21 |title=Campaigners want these two railway lines reopened to link North and South Wales |url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/campaigners-want-reopen-two-gwynedd-17948401 |access-date=2022-10-31 |website=North Wales Live |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-07-21 |title=Plan to outline rail link between the south of Wales and Aberystwyth by 2027 |url=https://nation.cymru/news/north-south-wales-rail-link/ |access-date=2022-10-31 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2021-09-18 |title=New Welsh Government rail map raises campaigners' hope for a north-south railway |url=https://nation.cymru/news/new-welsh-government-rail-map-raises-campaigners-hope-for-a-north-south-railway/ |access-date=2022-10-31 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}
= Fflecsi =
{{main|Fflecsi}}
As part of the Welsh Government's Llwybr Newydd strategy.{{Cite web|title=Pembrokeshire bus service Fflecsi moving into top gear as lockdown eases. See details here|url=https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/19271544.pembrokeshire-bus-service-fflecsi-hosting-online-info-event/|access-date=2021-06-12|website=Western Telegraph|language=en}} On 18 May 2020, Fflecsi, a demand-responsive transport service was launched in Newport in co-operation between TfW, Newport Bus and Newport City Council. The service has since expanded to multiple principal areas of Wales. Fflecsi is part of TfW's increased investment in alternative transport modes, with further expansion planned across Wales following good progress and popularity of the service in Newport and Cardiff North. In 2021, Fflecsi expanded operations to Blaenau Gwent and Flintshire, although the Newport service was discontinued from 25 September 2022.{{Cite web |title=Fflecsi bus scheme ending in Newport after 'successful' trial |url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/20626949.newport-fflecsi-bus-scheme-ending-trial-scheme/ |access-date=2022-08-12 |website=South Wales Argus |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website}}
- [https://gov.wales/transport-wales Transport for Wales at GOV.WALES]
{{Transport in Wales|state=collapsed}}
{{South Wales Metro}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Rail transport in Wales
Category:2016 establishments in Wales