P-05-714 Include a Mynachdy and Talybont Station as Part of the Cardiff Metro Proposal - Correspondence from the Petitioner to the Committee, 30.08.17

Dear Kayleigh,

Thank you for your e-mail, our response to the correspondence is below. Please let me know if you would like me to clarify any points.

We are disappointed that there are not any plans to include a Mynachdy Talybont station as defined in this petition (P-05-714) as part of the South Wales metro proposals. Although we take a positive view that a new station in the Gabalfa area has been included in the Stage 1 Assessment Report on New Rail Station Prioritisation and was scored well, although not sufficiently to meet the transport case criteria to progress to stage 2 at this time. We would hope that the proposed Gabalfa station, given its scoring, will be included in the next batch of regional station for consideration and ultimately prove successful.

Further to this, we would like the the ‘Mynachdy-Talybont’ site proposed in this petition to be considered for the location of any future station in the Gabalfa area. Noting:

o   Its proximity to the Llys Talybont Student residences, with the potential to provide direct transport link to the main university campus at Cathays which will contribute to sustainable transport goals.

o   Its proximity to University Hospital of Wales (5 to10 minute walk) with existing pedestrian and cycle links to this location. The UHW site is not currently served by a station on this line, a station would provide a sustainable transport alternative to car use for staff and patients travelling from the valleys and north Cardiff.  It is likely to help alleviate the parking and traffic problems on the site and congestion on local roads.

o   Increasing congestion along the north road corridor linking the City Centre, the north of Cardiff and onward into the valleys. A station at this location would provide a non-road based alternative and helping alleviate traffic and dependence on road transport.

o   The reduction and loss of localised bus services servicing the Mynachdy and Gabalfa estates over recent years.

o   The existing National Rail land adjacent to the railway line at this location that potentially could be used for a station. 

Regards,

Ashley