MASSIVE investment in public transport will bring more benefits than an M4 relief road to the people of Newport, according to the region's transport commission.

The city and its surrounding area is at risk of being "bypassed" unless sweeping changes are made to the ways people can access jobs and services.

That is the view of Lord Burns, chairman of the South East Wales Transport Commission, which today published its final report on how best to tackle the city's perennial problems with motorway congestion and over-reliance on the car.

READ MORE: Commission chief: Newport can thrive under transport plans

The commission said four new railway stations should be built to serve Newport and its eastern neighbours, transforming the existing South Wales Main Line into a major artery for local – as well as intercity – train services.

That investment should go hand-in-hand with a radical overhaul of bus services and timetables, designed to complement the rail "backbone" and make journeys to and from work as smooth and short as possible.

South Wales Argus: Artist's impression of the proposed Newport West railway station with bus interchange. Picture: South East Wales Transport CommissionArtist's impression of the proposed Newport West railway station with bus interchange. Picture: South East Wales Transport Commission

Today's report is the culmination of the commission's research and consultations to find alternatives to the so-called 'Black Route' M4 relief road project – a proposed new stretch of motorway that would have sidestepped Newport to the south – which was abandoned last June by first minister Mark Drakeford.

The commission has built on the preliminary findings it published in the summer, calling for strategic investment in building a 'network of alternatives', comprising rail, bus, and active travel (walking and cycling) projects throughout the Newport area, costing an estimated £600-800 million over 10 years.

The benefits of that network would extend beyond the M4 – today, the commission said a 20 per cent reduction in motorway traffic would "significantly" improve travel time and journey reliability.

But the network would also bring more sustainable, forward-thinking improvements to the lives of local residents, the commission said.

People working in Newport would have much better options to travel into and across the city, while there would also be more frequent and more reliable bus and rail services for commuters to Cardiff and Bristol.

Here are the report's main recommendations for the Newport area:

  • Reconfiguring the existing South Wales Main Line to create dedicated tracks for local and commuter trains.
  • New railway stations in Newport West (near Tredegar Park), Newport East (in the Somerton area), Llanwern (already proposed), and Magor (already proposed).
  • The potential for extra stations – one in Caerleon and one in Maesglas.
  • 'Rapid bus corridors' between Newport and Cardiff, using a dedicated part of the A48.
  • More priority for buses, using bus lanes and traffic-light priority, for services connecting Newport city centre to neighbouring towns.
  • Improved walking and cycling routes to all public transport stations.
  • Revamping a cycle route between Newport and Cardiff for commuter use.
  • Redesigning the Old Green Roundabout in Newport to improve traffic flow, by converting it to a four-way junction with traffic lights.
  • Improving bus priority on Chepstow Road, Malpas Road, and Cardiff Road.

The commission's final report can be found here.

South Wales Argus: How the Old Green Roundabout in Newport could look, according to the SEWTC proposals. Picture: South East Wales Transport CommissionHow the Old Green Roundabout in Newport could look, according to the SEWTC proposals. Picture: South East Wales Transport Commission

These investments and changes would need to be accompanied by major improvements to the customer's experience of using public transport, the commission added.

Chief among its proposals is the need for a clearer, fairer system of ticket pricing.

There should be one, integrated ticketing system for all public transport services in the region, with journeys priced fairly across the network and designed to not punish people who need to take both a bus and a train to get from A to B.

Similar efforts should be made to integrate timetables across the network, putting an end to knife-edge connection times or lengthy waits between services.

To achieve such integration, the commission recommends the setting-up of a partnership between the Welsh Government, travel firm Transport for Wales, and the region's local authorities (councils).

The commission's final report will now go before ministers, who will decide how to act on the proposals.