Metro Plus: Pontypool New Inn Park & Ride
What is the project about?
Metro Plus is a £50 million programme of schemes, developed with the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) to support the implementation of the South Wales Metro.
The Metro Plus RTA Programme will see each of the 10 Local Authorities within South East Wales receive a £3million share to implement a scheme. Funding is being provided from Welsh Government (£15million) and from the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal (CCRCD) (£15million) to implement this programme. A further £20 million is being funded by local authority and local investment.
Share:
The Pontypool & New Inn Park and Ride Project includes the provision of approx. 200 spaces including EV charging.
The aim of the scheme is to break the current cycle of poor facilities/services by providing an interchange provision so that the station acts as a key hub for regional travel for the area. The proposed enhancements at Pontypool and New Inn Rail Station includes a new Park and Ride which will be accessed from the A4042 trunk road, DDA compliant platform access and improved station facilities including cycling facilities.
The station is a potential interchange point with passengers from the ‘Eastern Valley’ including Blaenavon, Abersychan, Pontypool, New Inn, and also for Usk and the West of Monmouthshire. This station will support the nearby proposed Mamhilad development with a current allocation of 1,800 dwellings.
The project involves an agreement between the CCRCD, Welsh Government and Torfaen Council.
Investment and leverage
£1.5m
CCR Investment
£3.5m
Match Funding
£tbc
Projected Leverage
Stage of investment process
The station has to date benefited from WG investment for both physical improvements and design and development works for the creation of a strategic park and ride served off the A4042(T) with associated accessibility improvements. The former has consisted of the improvement of parking, pedestrian and cycling facilities and included the provision of a bus stop and turning area to accommodate any future interchange facilities. Allied to this work, Active Travel improvements have been undertaken to better connect the station to the surrounding area and facilities.
Expected benefits and outcomes
Improved access to the rail stations and bus services and improved infrastructure at the interchanges and park and ride sites will encourage greater use of public transport. The scheme will provide improved accessibility to employment opportunities, education facilities and health services through the interchange of bus and rail. The aims of the scheme seeks to ensure a positive impact on organisations and individuals who have protected characteristics.
The scheme will encourage car users to use public transport and therefore reduce congestion on the highway network and improve the efficiency of public transport journey times and reliability along the strategic transport corridors, as well as reducing the potential for accidents.
This will have a positive impact on local air quality, biodiversity, heritage and noise.
The provision of EV Charging at park and ride site will allow those without off-street parking provision to consider changing to EVs.
Landscape and townscape will also be positively impacted through the regeneration of unoccupied land for the park and ride.
By providing park and ride on strategic locations, it will aid in unlocking other brownfield sites for housing, commercial and mixed use development.
Key deliverables
The enhancements at Pontypool and New Inn Rail Station include a new Park and Ride (200 spaces) which will be accessed from the A4042 trunk road, DDA compliant platform access and improved station facilities including cycling facilities. EV charging spaces provided within the new Park &Ride.
Key partners and people involved
The following organisations are partners in the project:
