Welsh Government unveils Network North Wales plans including new services

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates,has unveiled an ambitious long-term vision for public transport in North Wales at Wales’ first ever Public Transport Summit later today (May 22).

Speaking to industry experts from across the sector he set out plans for an integrated, high-frequency public transport network in North Wales.

Branded Network North Wales, the programme aims to deliver metro-style services, deliver faster, more frequent rail services across key routes — including the North Wales Main Line, the Marches Line (Chester–Wrexham), and a brand-new direct Wrexham–Liverpool rail link.

Skates said the “Metro is go” and give details of immediate upgrades and investment over the next three years.

As part of his speech, he said that in the first 12 months, work on the new Wrexham–Liverpool line will begin with upgrades of sidings at Padeswood Works near Mold which TfW expects to allow four-trains-per-hour between the two cities within the decade.

Also, within the plan, services between Wrexham and Chester will double and plans to introduce a 50% increase in services along the North Wales Main Line - originally scheduled for December 2026 will now be brought forward to May 2025.

This increase includes a new Llandudno–Liverpool service and extending the Manchester Airport–Llandudno route to Holyhead in Anglesey.

It is expected that TfW will need to reshuffle its current fleet with some of its new fleet of 197s currently serving routes in South Wales earmarked for North Wales. However, it is understood by RAIL that new trains could be ordered to meet demand on the routes.

Other innovations included in the plan are the rollout of Pay As You Go tap-in tap-out ticketing across routes from Gobowen to Rhyl and the full Wrexham–Liverpool corridor.

The plan also sets the groundwork for long-term investment which the Welsh government hopes to implement within the next decade. These include;

• A new test station is being explored at Deeside Industrial Park to assess demand for permanent services.
• A multi-million-pound Electrification Innovation Fund has been established to accelerate decarbonisation and support metro service delivery.
• Step-free access improvements are planned at Shotton and Ruabon stations through new match funding.
• Gateway transport interchanges are being developed for key towns including Holyhead, Bangor, Caernarfon, and Wrexham.

Network North Wales is being backed by both UK and Welsh Governments. The Welsh Government has already committed over £13 million with the Welsh government looking for other sources, including form the Department for Transport.

UK Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: “These exciting proposals represent a significant opportunity to transform connectivity across the region and unlock new opportunities for communities.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens called the scheme “an exciting plan to deliver a better passenger experience”