FAQs

The proposed scheme is to transform Holyhead station into a local transport hub. Below are some of the potential options for improvement that are being considered by Transport for Wales (TfW) for Holyhead station as part of the WelTAG process. There may be additional options that arise through the WelTAG process.

Wayfinding

• Improve signage within the railway station
• Improve signage between the railway station and Holyhead Town Centre
• Improve provision and quality of signage which welcomes visitors and makes the station feel welcoming and attractive (as a gateway to Wales.)

Accessibility 

• Make Black Bridge pedestrian and cyclist only
• Make Black Bridge single lane/one way traffic 
• Remove existing footbridge (between platform 1 and Victoria Road) 
• Replace the existing footbridge (between platform 1 and Victoria Road) with a new footbridge.
• Create pedestrian link from Celtic Gateway Bridge to Victoria Road to increase accessibility to the lower level of Victoria Road
• Improve access to Holyhead station making it accessible for all – particularly those with limited mobility, in wheelchairs or with pushchairs

Active travel

• Introduce designated cycle lanes and footways on Black Bridge and the entrances to the station
• Ensure existing active travel routes to the station and wider Holyhead area are integrated with the initiatives at the station
• Increase active travel infrastructure by providing cycle storage facilities at the station
• Provide rentable bicycles at the station
• Provide new pedestrian footways and cycle ways within the station
• Repurpose car parking facilities to the east of the station at the Black Bridge/A55 junction for pedestrian and cycle access
• Remove contradictory signage within the station that could deter cyclists

Physical environment

• Rearrange the area to the east of the station to create space for a transport hub
• Refill part of the harbour and redevelop the land to improve the station environment.
• Refurbish and transform areas of the station that are currently derelict into retail and community opportunities

Inside the station

• Redesign platform 1 to improve the appeal, making the most of the inner harbour view
• Remove buildings on platform 1, but with a new canopy to shelter passengers provided
• Reopen and use space between platforms 2 and 3 where there is a ‘missing platform’
• Install a canopy on platform 3
• Relocate public transport services from platform 1 to other platforms, so the focus of all transport operations is on platforms 2-3, leaving platform 1 available for other operational purposes (i.e., train maintenance and freight services)

Integration with other modes of transport

• Provide Holyhead with a dedicated transport interchange hub located at Holyhead station
• Integrate ticketing between rail, ferry and bus 
• Improve integration between rail and port timings to avoid arrival and departure times overlapping and causing delays
• Increase public transport offer at the station by improving integration with local bus services
• Relocate the bus stops currently located on Victoria Road to reduce the walking distance to the station entrance
• Restore rail services to pre-pandemic frequency levels
• Increase the frequency of rail services to key economic centres in Wales and England

Anti-social behaviour

• There is also an overarching option that focuses on the need to address anti-social behaviour

In this options consultation, within WelTAG Stage 2, we are inviting stakeholders and the public to provide their views on these options. More information about the WelTAG process is provided in Question 7.

The scheme is located at Holyhead station which is in the town of Holyhead in the county of Isle of Anglesey. Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Isle of Anglesey in north-west Wales, with a population of approximately 11,500 people. Holyhead station is located in the centre of the town and serves as the western end of the A55 North Wales Expressway, which acts as the key trunk road for access across North Wales and beyond to north-west England. Holyhead station is also located at the western end of the North Wales Coast Line train route.

The scheme is proposed by Transport for Wales (TfW). TfW own and manage Holyhead station.

Transport for Wales (TfW) was set up by Welsh Government in 2016 to oversee public transport in Wales, to create customer-focused services through a safe transport network of which Wales is proud.

The scheme, being undertaken by Transport for Wales (TfW) as part of the WelTAG process, has six core objectives:

1. Encourage more passengers by making rail services more appealing and improving both the station facilities and the frequency and reliability of rail services.
2. Make Holyhead station a central transport hub which connects residents and visitors to Holyhead Port and key economic centres in the region, supports all forms of transport, helps the economy grow in a sustainable way, and links with other regeneration projects.
3. Make sure the station is a welcoming, accessible, easy to navigate gateway which links to local public transport services and Holyhead Port, has facilities for walkers and cyclists, and has good signposting to the town centre.
4. Promote and encourage sustainable travel and allow people to change between different types of transport easily within the station.
5. Increase travel across and between regions by increasing the frequency of rail services.
6. Ensure the station is functional and accessible for all.

The scheme is still at a very early stage (WelTAG Stage 2) and construction would not occur until much later in the process. At this stage, we are asking for the views of stakeholders on the public on potential options for a transport hub at Holyhead station. Please visit Question 7 for more information (including a diagram) regarding the WelTAG process.

The Holyhead station scheme is being developed using WelTAG (the Welsh Government’s transport appraisal guidance). Currently, the Holyhead station scheme is going through WelTAG Stage 2 (Outline Business Case). WelTAG 2017 sets out a process and broad framework for identifying, appraising and evaluating solutions to address transport-related issues. It helps to identify the most beneficial scheme and allows schemes to be compared on a like-for-like basis.

The WelTAG process comprises five stages which are intended to cover the lifecycle of a proposed transport scheme, from conception to post-implementation evaluation.

The five stages of WelTAG are:

• Stage One – Strategic Outline Case
• Stage Two – Outline Business Case
• Stage Three – Full Business Case
• Stage Four – Implementation
• Stage Five – Post Implementation (Monitoring and Evaluation)

An update to WelTAG guidance (to reflect Llwybr Newydd, the new Wales transport strategy 2021) was published by the Welsh Government in August 2022 and is currently out for consultation.

WelTAG process (2017)

Source: Mott MacDonald

No, a selection of options will be shortlisted and packaged together for consideration at the end of the WelTAG Stage 2 process. Options will be shortlisted and selected for progression based on a number of considerations which will include:

• Strategic fit against a range of criteria 
• Alignment to key policies
• Potential benefit to the economy, environment and society/culture
• How they work/coexist alongside other options, as part of a complete package of measures 
• Economic impact

Passengers using Holyhead station currently experience a range of challenges. Feedback from stakeholders and analysis of the current station environment during WelTAG Stage 1 in 2022 highlighted the following issues:

• Access to different areas within the station is poor 
• Signage is confusing, making the station hard to navigate
• Connections to Holyhead town centre and onward destinations could be improved 
• The station does not currently maximise its potential role as a gateway to Wales 
• The station approach and Black Bridge are dominated by vehicles with limited access to the station for pedestrians, cyclists and public transport 
• Cycling facilities within the station are poor 
• Lack of integration with other modes of transport

In 2021, Transport for Wales (TfW) commissioned Mott MacDonald to develop an Integrated Plan for Holyhead station. This brought together some of the key projects that were proposed for the area in and around the station into one single plan, creating a long list of potential options for improving the immediate vicinity. These were then reviewed and scored against various criteria that had been agreed with TfW and the Welsh Government. The top scoring project was to transform Holyhead station into a local transport hub.

Having completed the Integrated Plan, the focus turned to progressing the top scoring option (transforming Holyhead station into a local transport hub) through the WelTAG process (the Welsh Government’s transport appraisal guidance). 

WelTAG Stage 1 presented the case for change and consisted of an examination of the problems, opportunities and issues, and identified why intervention is required. As part of Stage 1, TfW carried out a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis of the scheme and identified a long list of options to address the issues at Holyhead station which were tested for technical, environmental and financial feasibility.

The scheme is currently at Stage 2 of the process. Stage 2 outlines a Business Case for taking the scheme forward and identifies preferred options.

The options consultation period ran from Thursday 10 November until midnight on Thursday 22 December 2022.

Stakeholders and the local community could provide views by:

• Completing an online feedback form, available via the survey link here and below
• Filling in a paper feedback form. These were located at Holyhead station (London Road, Holyhead, L65 2NE) and Holyhead Library (Holyhead Market Hall, Stanley Street, Holyhead, LL65 1HH). 

The results of the options consultation will be included in the WelTAG Stage 2 report and will inform the future development of the scheme.

A public exhibition was held during the options consultation period at: Market Hall, Stanley Street, Holyhead LL65 1HH on 24 November 2022 between 12pm and 8pm.

Members of the public were welcome to attend to view the scheme proposals and speak with project team members.