Moves to slash north-south travel times

Oct 2 2007 by Ben Glaze, South Wales Echo

TRAVEL times between South and North Wales could be slashed under a Government plan set to be announced today.

Transport Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones was expected to unveil a four-year programme of improvements to road and rail links spanning the length of the country.

The notorious A470 backbone of Wales, which runs coast to coast from Cardiff Bay to Llandudno, is likely to be widened in parts of Mid and North Wales.

It has already been improved in the south but the road’s poor quality north of the Brecon Beacons – where it often resembles a country lane – slows average journey times to about four hours.

And Mr Jones, who is also Deputy First Minister, was also expected to reveal proposals for shaving 30 minutes off rail journey times by cutting the number of smaller stations stopped at by some trains in more rural areas.

The Echo understands there are also plans to create a first-class section on the Arriva Trains Wales service from Cardiff to Holyhead.

Business expert Brian Morgan, professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Wales Institute Cardiff, said transport improvements linking north and south were long overdue. He said: “Investment on the A470 is absolutely vital and the sort of bold investment we need to knit the nation together.