Network North Wales: Metro is go!

10 Jun 2025

Last month, we hosted our inaugural Public Transport Summit in the city of Wrexham, bringing together colleagues and stakeholder partners from across the transport sector.

The summit had it all, from influential speakers to engaging panel discussions, innovative workshops to a vibrant exhibition zone showcasing the latest advancements in the sector. Adding to the excitement, even Francis Bourgeois himself was in attendance!

But beyond the engaging atmosphere, one announcement stood out as a significant improvement to the region; the unveiling of Network North Wales.

The ambitious vision was presented by Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates; to deliver an integrated, high-frequency public transport network for North Wales, with frequent metro services at its heart.

The vision for the programme will see metro style train services on the North Wales mainline, the Marches line (Chester to Wrexham) and a new, direct rail link between Wrexham and Liverpool.

These immediate changes are being delivered, with a raft of improvements planned for the short-term (0-12 months), medium-term (1-3 and 5 years) and long-term (to 2035 and beyond).

Speaking at the Summit Ken Skates declared “Metro is go”, so lets take a look at the exciting changes we can look forward to:

Commencing work on the line between Wrexham and Liverpool as the crucial first phase of delivering metro services direct between the two cities.
Doubling train services between Wrexham and Chester next May.
Bringing forward the introduction of 50% more services across the North Wales mainline from December 2026 to next May – resulting in a new service from Llandudno to Liverpool and extending the Manchester Airport service to Holyhead in place of Llandudno.
Upon completion of rail line works at Padeswood, increase train services between Wrexham and Bidston to 2 trains per hour within the next three years, ahead of the introduction of 4 trains per hour that will run direct between Wrexham and Liverpool by 2035.
The existing Borderlands Line will also be renamed the Wrexham – Liverpool line.
Key stations on the Wrexham – Liverpool line will be improved in the next 12 months.
Trains operating on the Wrexham – Liverpool line will be wrapped to reflect the communities and football clubs they serve.
Introducing Pay as You Go tap in tap out technology - covering connections between Gobowen and Rhyl, and along the full length of the Wrexham -Liverpool line
Working with Network Rail to determine the feasibility of a rapid delivery of a new test railway station at Deeside Industrial Park, to gauge demand for permanent services to the park.
A new, multi-million pound electrification innovation fund to develop a plan to decarbonise the railway in North Wales and enable more frequent metro services and additional stations
Match funding for step-free access at Shotton and Ruabon stations.
Working with local authorities to develop plans for Gateway multi-modal interchanges at Holyhead, Bangor, Caernarfon and Wrexham.
A new T13 bus service - connecting Rhyl, Ruthin, Denbigh and Wrexham.
Examining options to re-open stations and build new stations to serve employment growth areas.
A new bus network specifically designed to link communities with industrial estates in the Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone.
The Welsh Government has already committed an investment of over £13m to begin delivery immediately and will draw on other funding streams to make the vision a reality.

Network North Wales represents a commitment to long-term, sustainable change, unlocking the immense economic potential of North Wales and the cross-border region. It's about connecting our communities, improving lives, and building a more prosperous and accessible future for all.

For more information on Network North Wales visit https://tfw.wales/projects/network-north-wales