Ultra Light Rail - Another transport option?

Ultra Light Rail - Wildly idealistic, or sustainable way to keep open/
re-open lesser used branch lines in Wales?
(Pic : Wikipedia)

When you think of "railway", you probably think of the standard heavy rail network between major population centres. You probably won't include trams under the same umbrella, and will write-off the narrow gauge railways as "something for tourists".

Are we too hung up on our railways meeting a certain standard to be categorised as such? Is there an opportunity for Wales to take a different path in the future?

Swiss railways, for example, consists of standard gauge, narrow gauge and tram railways - all part of an interconnected network, with each part serving its own function in its respective community.

What is "Ultra Light Rail"?

The Sustainable Travel Company and Parry People Movers Ltd have carved out niches for themselves by developing a series of lightweight self-propelled "tram trains", dubbed "Ultra Light Rail".

They are designed to run either on their own track (like trams) or even on standard heavy rail. Some of these vehicles are being used on parts of the UK rail network - in Stourbridge for example (photo above). They can even - possibly - be adapted to street-running.

They're designed to carry generally the same number of passengers as a small tram, but not as many as a mainline train or a tram system in a major built up area. It could be considered – in shorthand – a light rail system for rural areas and smaller towns.

Where could Ultra Light Rail (ULR) fit in?

Wales has three different types of railway, as I can see:

• Core – Mainline services (north Wales, south Wales mainline) and heavily-used commuter services (Valley Lines).
• Branch – Connecting, lesser used and community/rural services (for example Llandudno-Blaenau Ffestiniog, Heart of Wales Line)
• Mothballed – Freight-only and disused lines that could be reopened (i.e. Pontyclun-Beddau, Aberdare-Hirwaun, Llangefni)

ULR could become a new category for railways – a halfway house between traditional heavy rail and tram-based light rail. To do something like that though would either require the devolution of rail regulatory powers, or independence. It would have its advantages and disadvantages.

For example, ultra light rail could have relaxed regulations for track and station standards, which could help keep maintenance and running costs down – and more crucially help keep some lesser-used branch lines open.

However, that could also be considered a safety risk or lead to poorer standards of service than normal railways.

These could be the main features:

• Self-propelled vehicles – Fuel cells, flywheels etc. No need for large-scale electrification.
• Modular stations – Which could consist of a very basic platform, with DDA access wherever necessary.
• Simpler signalling systems – In some cases perhaps reduced to a simple "stop" or "go", but this would likely mean slower permissible line speeds.
• Only used on connecting branch railways - To free up space for extra mainline services
• Street-running adaption – Becoming a more formal "tram train".

How could these systems be run?

Financial viability is a key consideration for any project like this, and for now, none of these are likely to be viable by themselves. However, there are alternatives:

• Municipal-owned/partnered transport companies – A return to regulated public transport in local authorities/regions, with bus, light rail and ultra light rail services coming under the control of arms-length companies, possibly run on a not-for-profit model.
• Community rail partnerships – Just like existing schemes, but with some of the functions (track maintenance etc.) being run by volunteers and apprentices.
• Subsidised through general taxation – Many of the communities that would benefit from this are distant, and fixed transport connections would provide greater social and employment opportunities.
• Subsidised through hypothecated taxation – Congestion charges, car parking levies, emissions charges, a precept on Council Tax (like a police or fire authority would).
• Voluntary contribution – For example, retail parks, business parks, voluntarily contributing towards the costs of building stations for/near their premises.

An exemplar ULR network

Like my look at cycling, I've decided to look at a possible ULR network for Bridgend. This isn't a serious proposal, just an example of how it might work. Here's a schematic for a potential ULR system, based on the existing Maesteg branch line, and the disused Garw and Ogwr valley lines.

A theoretical Ultra Light Rail network for Bridgend county -
not to be taken too seriously, just to illustrate the potential.
(Click to enlarge)

This network uses the existing Maesteg branch, extended northwards to Caerau (it would now be impossible to send it through to Cymer and Glyncorrwg, which is a shame), alongside the partially disused Garw branch (currently earmarked for development as a heritage railway), and the completely removed Ogwr valley branch. The Ogwr branch is now a cycle path, but it should be pretty easy to rebuild cycle paths next to the rails, separated by a robust fence, and continuing to encourage cycling and walking.

As a "money no object/not serious" idea, if it were possible, the ULR network could be extended south of Bridgend, momentarily sharing the Vale of Glamorgan line, then swinging outwards, south of Island Farm and Broadlands, before joining the Porthcawl road, and becoming a street-running service into the centre of Porthcawl. The cost and environmental implications of such a thing are likely to be prohibitive - even for wildly idealistic people like myself.

This wouldn't be designed to replace mainline services, just provide a lightweight, low-cost way of feeding into mainline services, as well as maintaining local, lesser-used community railways. If anything, it would supplement = and possibly be an eventual replacement for - existing bus services.

For example, any Bridgend network would free-up space on the South Wales Mainline for additional services in place of the current Cheltenham-Maesteg service. Passengers from the Bridgend Valleys would (ideally) be able to buy through-tickets (or use pre-paid cards, harking back to my post The Welsh Metro last year), changing at Bridgend station.

There are possible other places in Wales this approach could be used:

• Pontyclun to Beddau (and possibly Ely Valley)
• Swansea to Onllwyn & Blaengrawch
• Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog
• Wrexham to Mold
• Bangor to Caernarfon

This won't be an ideal solution for every situation, but if it allows greater connectivity between some of our more isolated communities – as it has done for the Swiss – then perhaps it's worth keeping it as an option on the table for the future.