English: A Swansea parkway, appropriately located to the north of the city, means that people can travel more swiftly east-west within the region and to the east of the region, as well as helping to maintain that all-important land-bridge between Ireland and the rest of the UK and then on to the European Union. All that alone saves time for travellers who don't need to go into Swansea itself. It also allays fears about the future of Neath station thrown up by Professor Barry's schematic. It will also allow residents from parts of Swansea, Gower, Neath Port Talbot and even further afield a more convenient option of using the train to get into the city centre than currently exists, avoiding congestion and particulate pollution in a part of the country that is badly affected by both. This all dovetails strategically into work that Welsh Government is already doing regarding local train stations in Swansea, on which I am more than happy to let Mike Hedges have more than a minute if he wants to, and of course, Chair, if you would be happy to let him do that. I did my own research on a parkway earlier this year. Of the residents I wrote out to in the north Swansea area, 89 per cent of respondents said that the Swansea bay city deal should include an offer on transport. This is something it doesn't have at present, of course. and when I asked what factors would make them use a Swansea parkway station, 77 per cent of them said avoiding city centre traffic and congestion was a big reason for them using a parkway station. That was followed closely, though, by a parkway to the north of Swansea being more conveniently located for some of them personally than the current stations, which, of course, include: Swansea High Street, Neath, Port Talbot itself, Briton Ferry, Skewen, Llansamlet, and Llanelli. But a Swansea parkway can do more than just allow residents to gain quick and convenient access to new and existing jobs, because it can also, if done correctly of course, help improve air quality, which has become such a priority for us here in this Chamber. Almost half the residents told me that they would consider using a Swansea parkway if it was supported by bus and active travel networks, demonstrating that a Swansea parkway can play its part in encouraging commuters to ditch their cars altogether if it's done it the right way in the right place. Thanks to the work of Sustrans and local organisations, we have an integrated sustainable transport network map for Neath Port Talbot and Swansea already, allowing residents and visitors to travel easily from one local authority area to the other. Work to incorporate a Swansea parkway into this would only benefit the region in terms of encouraging people to think differently about how they get from place to place as well as improving the flow of that movement. The former tinplate works at Felindre just north of Swansea has received millions of pounds of taxpayers' money to develop it into Parc Felindre business park. The land is in public ownership, as you know, some is in the hands of the local authority and some in the hands of Welsh Government, but, over time, as we've heard, this has prompted very little interest until recently and precious little financial return. I've raised this before, and you have been pressed on it in recent months, more than once, by Dr Dai Lloyd, so you know what the situation is. We're looking at around 200 hectares of land situated 7.5 km from the city centre, with a dedicated junction to the M4, and with potential for a railhead facility. That's on Swansea city council's own website confirming that. It is a strategic employment site of regional significance, size and location. And, of course, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, which employs almost 6,000 people from across the travel-to-work area, most of them women, including at higher grades, is just across the road. The vision for Felindre is for a high-level strategic business park serving south Wales. That is good. We do not want a retail park there. But it's also adjacent to other publicly owned land of the same size, more or less, and that's earmarked for housing and 20 per cent of which would be for affordable housing, which would be good news for the threatened school at Craigcefnparc, but less attractive than at first sight because of its remoteness from the city centre. A parkway on the doorstep would solve that problem for 200 hectare-worth of housing. After years of Welsh Government spending money in an attempt to try and attract tenants to the site, we are just now starting to see some interest. The international parcel delivery firm DPD announced their wish to move to the site and bring 130 new jobs to the area. Now, that is welcome, of course it is, but it is not exactly the beginning of an economic furnace sparked by the city deal. The leader of Swansea council is now claiming that there is significant interest from business in the site, and I really hope that he is right as then it's less of a question about which comes first: investment from businesses in new jobs, or the infrastructure to support them. Myself, I think, either way, a parkway would help people reach those new jobs from within the city and outside in a way that doesn't clog up the motorway junctions to the north and west of Swansea, and certainly doesn't clog the main arterial routes in and out of that particular area. We all know what the M4 is like first thing in the morning, don't we, gentlemen? Other parts of Wales have already seen significant investment in Wales from private businesses, thanks to work by both our Governments. In Deeside, Toyota announced they'll be building their new Auris and securing 3,000 jobs there. CAF are building trains in Newport, investing £30 million and creating 300 jobs. Aon are opening a new financial services office in Cardiff later this year. There's a whole string of these, but my constituents really want a piece of that action, through the council's own plans for the city, the city deal itself and the work done by both our Governments. Residents have already said that they like the idea. Investors will expect easy accessibility to the city region. And I think a Swansea parkway is the missing selling point. It would show investors that the Swansea bay city deal has a fully joined-up approach that would allow the research and innovation taking place across the region, at those 11 project sites, to be fully capitalised upon by businesses big and small. It would allow residents from across the region to start or end their journeys easily and quickly without adding to the congestion, while, at the same time, helping to reduce congestion and improve air quality at all the hot points, if you like. Part of the answer to that, of course, is what Mike Hedges is likely to be talking about in a few minutes, and the decision on investment in a Swansea parkway, of course, is ultimately one for the UK Government, but it needs support from Welsh Government, I think, to create - what can I say? Well, let's create that confidence that I was speaking about earlier on in the presentation. To have a joint understanding between Governments on where that investment is needed and how it can be supported, I think, is crucial to the Swansea bay city deal reaching its full potential. Now, in March this year, Cabinet Secretary, you told the Assembly - and I'm quoting - that 'Welsh Government is making numerous demands of UK Government in terms of improvement of passenger services, and improvements to journey times'. Quite rightly. A Swansea parkway could be the answer to some of the things that you're looking for. In May, you added that a Swansea parkway 'should be taken forward at pace.' And I would like to think that you remain of that view. I hope, with those comments in mind, you are able to confirm that Welsh Government will be joining my constituents, and, I hope, other AMs, in the push for the Swansea parkway station that the city region needs. Because, let's just think of the gain, if you continue to let the train take the strain. Thank you.
Welsh: Mae parcffordd Abertawe, sydd wedi'i lleoli'n briodol i'r gogledd o'r ddinas, yn golygu y gall pobl deithio'n fwy cyflym o'r dwyrain i'r gorllewin o fewn y rhanbarth ac i'r dwyrain o'r rhanbarth, yn ogystal â helpu i gadw'r bont dir hollbwysig rhwng Iwerddon a gweddill y DU ac yna ymlaen i'r Undeb Ewropeaidd. Mae hyn oll ynddo'i hun yn arbed amser i deithwyr nad oes angen iddynt fynd i mewn i Abertawe ei hun. Mae hefyd yn lleddfu ofnau ynghylch dyfodol gorsaf Castell-nedd a nodwyd yn amlinelliad yr Athro Barry. Bydd hefyd yn caniatáu opsiwn mwy cyfleus nag a geir ar hyn o bryd i drigolion rhannau o Abertawe, Gŵyr, Castell-nedd Port Talbot a hyd yn oed ymhellach i ffwrdd ddefnyddio'r trên i gyrraedd canol y ddinas, gan osgoi tagfeydd a llygredd gronynnol mewn rhan o'r wlad yr effeithir arni'n ddrwg gan y ddau beth. Mae hyn yn cydweddu'n strategol â gwaith y mae Llywodraeth Cymru eisoes yn ei wneud mewn perthynas â gorsafoedd trên lleol yn Abertawe, ac rwy'n fwy na pharod i adael i Mike Hedges gael mwy na munud os yw'n dymuno, ac wrth gwrs, Gadeirydd, os ydych yn hapus i adael iddo wneud hynny. Fe wneuthum fy ymchwil fy hun ar barcffordd yn gynharach eleni. O'r preswylwyr yr ysgrifennais atynt yn ardal gogledd Abertawe, dywedodd 89 y cant o'r ymatebwyr y dylai bargen ddinesig bae Abertawe gynnwys cynnig ar drafnidiaeth. Nid oes ganddi un ar hyn o bryd, wrth gwrs, a phan ofynnais pa ffactorau a fyddai'n gwneud iddynt ddefnyddio gorsaf barcffordd Abertawe, dywedodd 77 y cant ohonynt fod osgoi traffig canol y ddinas a thagfeydd yn un rheswm mawr dros ddefnyddio gorsaf barcffordd. Wrth ei sodlau, er hynny, roedd y ffaith y byddai parcffordd i'r gogledd o Abertawe yn fwy cyfleus i rai ohonynt yn bersonol na'r gorsafoedd presennol, sydd, wrth gwrs, yn cynnwys: Stryd Fawr Abertawe, Castell-nedd, Port Talbot ei hun, Llansawel, Sgiwen, Llansamlet, a Llanelli. Ond gall parcffordd i Abertawe wneud mwy na dim ond galluogi trigolion i gael mynediad cyflym a chyfleus at swyddi presennol a newydd, oherwydd gall hefyd, os caiff ei wneud yn gywir wrth gwrs, helpu i wella ansawdd aer, sydd wedi dod yn gymaint o flaenoriaeth i ni yma yn y Siambr hon. Dywedodd bron i hanner y trigolion wrthyf y byddent yn ystyried defnyddio parcffordd ar gyfer Abertawe pe bai'n cael ei chefnogi gan rwydweithiau bysiau a theithio llesol, gan ddangos y gallai parcffordd Abertawe chwarae ei rhan yn annog cymudwyr i roi'r gorau i ddefnyddio'u ceir yn gyfan gwbl os caiff ei wneud yn y ffordd gywir yn y lle iawn. Diolch i waith Sustrans a sefydliadau lleol, mae gennym fap rhwydwaith trafnidiaeth integredig cynaliadwy ar gyfer Castell-nedd Port Talbot ac Abertawe eisoes, sy'n galluogi trigolion ac ymwelwyr i deithio'n rhwydd o un ardal awdurdod lleol i'r llall. Byddai gwaith i ymgorffori parcffordd ar gyfer Abertawe yn y map ond yn fanteisiol i'r rhanbarth o safbwynt annog pobl i feddwl yn wahanol ynglŷn â sut y maent yn teithio o le i le yn ogystal â gwella llif y symudiad hwnnw. Mae'r hen waith tunplat yn Felindre ychydig i'r gogledd o Abertawe wedi cael miliynau o bunnoedd o arian trethdalwyr i'w ddatblygu'n barc busnes Parc Felindre. Mae'r tir mewn dwylo cyhoeddus, fel y gwyddoch, mae peth yn nwylo'r awdurdod lleol a pheth yn nwylo Llywodraeth Cymru, ond dros amser, fel y clywsom, ychydig iawn o ddiddordeb y mae hyn wedi'i ysgogi tan yn ddiweddar, a fawr iawn o enillion ariannol. Rwyf wedi codi hyn o'r blaen, a chafodd ei ddwyn i'ch sylw fwy nag unwaith yn y misoedd diwethaf gan Dr Dai Lloyd, felly fe wyddoch beth yw'r sefyllfa. Rydym yn edrych ar oddeutu 200 hectar o dir sydd wedi'i leoli 7.5 km o ganol y ddinas, gyda chyffordd bwrpasol i'r M4, ac sydd â photensial ar gyfer cyfleuster cyswllt rheilffordd. Mae hynny ar wefan cyngor dinas Abertawe sy'n cadarnhau hynny. Mae'n safle cyflogaeth strategol o arwyddocâd rhanbarthol o ran maint a lleoliad. Ac wrth gwrs, mae'r Asiantaeth Trwyddedu Gyrwyr a Cherbydau, sy'n cyflogi bron i 6,000 o bobl o bob rhan o'r ardal teithio-i'r-gwaith, y rhan fwyaf ohonynt yn fenywod, gan gynnwys ar raddfeydd uwch, ar draws y ffordd. Y weledigaeth ar gyfer Felindre yw parc busnes strategol lefel uchel sy'n gwasanaethu de Cymru. Mae hynny'n dda. Nid ydym eisiau parc manwerthu yno. Ond mae hefyd yn agos at dir arall o'r un maint, fwy neu lai, sydd mewn dwylo cyhoeddus, ac sydd wedi'i glustnodi ar gyfer tai a byddai 20 y cant ohono ar gyfer tai fforddiadwy, a fyddai'n newyddion da i'r ysgol sydd dan fygythiad yn Nghraig-cefn-parc, ond yn llai deniadol nag ar yr olwg gyntaf oherwydd ei fod mor bell o ganol y ddinas. Byddai parcffordd ar garreg y drws yn datrys y broblem honno i 200 hectar o dai. Ar ôl blynyddoedd o Lywodraeth Cymru'n gwario arian mewn ymdrech i geisio denu tenantiaid i'r safle, rydym yn dechrau gweld rhywfaint o ddiddordeb bellach. Cyhoeddodd y cwmni dosbarthu parseli rhyngwladol DPD eu dymuniad i symud i'r safle a dod â 130 o swyddi newydd i'r ardal. Nawr, mae hynny i'w groesawu, wrth gwrs ei fod, ond nid yw'n hollol yn ddechrau ffwrnais economaidd a gynheuwyd gan y fargen ddinesig. Mae arweinydd cyngor Abertawe bellach yn honni bod diddordeb sylweddol gan fusnesau yn y safle, ac rwy'n gobeithio'n fawr ei fod yn iawn gan fod llai o gwestiwn wedyn ynglŷn â pha un sy'n dod gyntaf: buddsoddiad gan fusnesau mewn swyddi newydd neu seilwaith i'w cynnal. Fy hun, y naill ffordd neu'r llall, rwy'n credu y byddai parcffordd yn helpu pobl i gyrraedd y swyddi newydd hynny o'r tu mewn i'r ddinas a'r tu allan mewn ffordd nad yw'n tagu cyffyrdd y draffordd i'r gogledd ac i'r gorllewin i Abertawe, ac yn sicr nid yw'n tagu'r prif lwybrau i mewn ac allan o'r ardal honno. Mae pawb ohonom yn gwybod sut mae hi ar yr M4 y peth cyntaf yn y bore, onid ydym, foneddigion? Mae rhannau eraill o Gymru eisoes wedi gweld buddsoddiad sylweddol yng Nghymru gan fusnesau preifat, diolch i waith gan ein dwy Lywodraeth. Yng Nglannau Dyfrdwy, cyhoeddodd Toyota y byddant yn adeiladu eu Auris newydd ac yn sicrhau 3,000 o swyddi yno. Mae CAF yn adeiladu trenau yng Nghasnewydd, gan fuddsoddi £30 miliwn a chreu 300 o swyddi. Mae Aon yn agor swyddfa gwasanaethau ariannol newydd yng Nghaerdydd yn ddiweddarach eleni. Ceir rhes gyfan o'r rhain, ond mae fy etholwyr eisiau peth o'r cyffro hwnnw, drwy gynlluniau'r cyngor ei hun ar gyfer y ddinas, y fargen ddinesig ei hun a'r gwaith a wnaed gan ein dwy Lywodraeth. Mae trigolion eisoes wedi dweud eu bod yn hoff o'r syniad. Bydd buddsoddwyr yn disgwyl mynediad hawdd i'r ddinas-ranbarth. A chredaf mai parcffordd ar gyfer Abertawe yw'r pwynt gwerthu sydd ar goll. Byddai'n dangos i fuddsoddwyr fod gan fargen ddinesig bae Abertawe ymagwedd gwbl gydgysylltiedig a fyddai'n caniatáu i'r ymchwil a'r arloesi ddigwydd ar draws y rhanbarth, ar yr 11 safle prosiect hynny, i fusnesau mawr a bach allu manteisio'n llawn arnynt. Byddai'n caniatáu i breswylwyr o bob cwr o'r rhanbarth ddechrau neu orffen eu teithiau'n hawdd ac yn gyflym heb ychwanegu at y tagfeydd, a helpu ar yr un pryd i leihau tagfeydd a gwella ansawdd mewn mannau problemus, os mynnwch. Rhan o'r ateb i hynny, wrth gwrs, yw'r hyn y mae Mike Hedges yn debygol o fod yn siarad amdano mewn ychydig funudau, ac mae'r penderfyniad ynglŷn â buddsoddi mewn parcffordd ar gyfer Abertawe, wrth gwrs, yn fater i Lywodraeth y DU yn y pen draw, ond mae angen cefnogaeth gan Lywodraeth Cymru, rwy'n credu, i greu - beth y gallaf ddweud? Wel, gadewch i ni greu'r hyder roeddwn yn siarad amdano yn gynharach yn y cyflwyniad. Rwy'n credu bod cael cyd-ddealltwriaeth rhwng Llywodraethau ynglŷn â ble y mae angen y buddsoddiad hwnnw a sut y gellir ei gefnogi yn allweddol i fargen ddinesig bae Abertawe allu gwireddu ei photensial llawn. Nawr, ym mis Mawrth eleni, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet, fe ddywedoch chi wrth y Cynulliad - ac rwy'n dyfynnu - fod 'Llywodraeth Cymru yn galw ar Lywodraeth y DU i wneud nifer o bethau o ran gwella gwasanaethau i deithwyr, a gwelliannau i amseroedd teithio'. Yn gwbl briodol. Gallai parcffordd i Abertawe fod yn ateb i rai o'r pethau rydych yn chwilio amdanynt. Ym mis Mai, fe ychwanegoch chi y dylai parcffordd i Abertawe gael 'ei ddatblygu yn gyflym.' A hoffwn feddwl eich bod yn dal i goleddu'r farn honno. Rwy'n gobeithio, gyda'r sylwadau hynny mewn cof, eich bod yn gallu cadarnhau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn ymuno â fy etholwyr, ac ACau eraill gobeithio, i wasgu am yr orsaf barcffordd i Abertawe fel sydd ei hangen ar y ddinas-ranbarth. Oherwydd, gadewch i ni feddwl am yr hyn y gallwn ei ennill drwy adael i'r trên wneud y gwaith. Diolch.