Pastries and fruit will be available. Hot and cold drinks will be served from Outpost Coffee.
Writer and broadcaster, Geraint Talfan Davies OBE and Professor Mark Barry, from Cardiff University, officially open the Metro & Us Conference and share their thoughts on the benefits of recent investment in the South Wales Metro and explore what still needs to be done to realise its wider vision and maximise associated opportunities.
The session will focus on how the South Wales Metro can be used as a platform for wider economic, spatial and social outcomes and must change to realise its full potential. The session will focus on what’s next for the South Wales Metro and how do we ensure integration. The Chair will also open a discussion on the wider benefits associated with public transport and how other parts of Wales will benefit from projects of similar scale.
Hot and cold drinks will be served from Outpost Coffee.
This session will focus on addressing the topic of 'From Vision to Value: Connecting People, Places and Prosperity in South East Wales', exploring how economic growth and investment can be enabled by the Metro.
This session will explore how we can leverage the South Wales Metro to drive place‑based regeneration, deliver more affordable and sustainable homes, and accelerate a shift toward Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). We will examine how coordinated planning, strategic public-sector leadership, and higher‑quality urban design can unlock a virtuous cycle of investment in housing, transport, and thriving town centres. We will aim to draw out insights from developers and designers on what might be working well in Wales, what barriers remain, and what practical steps are needed to ensure development happens in the right places. Are we collectively ready to shift the dial on housing density, new housing typologies, local services/entertainment, and mixed‑use employment zones that a turn-up-and-go rail service supports?
Delegates can choose a street food style lunch from vendors at The DEPOT.
This session will discuss the opportunities the South Wales Metro can bring for future generations. From supporting social mobility - connecting people to education and employment, to growing access to skilled talent for employers. This lively and inspiring session brings together the leaders of two large colleges along with younger learners from across the region to discuss the current situation and highlight the impact possible.
Hot and cold drinks will be served from Outpost Coffee.
This session explores how regional and local institutions can work together to deliver aligned, sustainable, and future‑proofed place‑making across Wales. While transport remains a central enabler, the discussion will focus more broadly on how governance structures, funding models, spatial planning, and public–private collaboration can accelerate affordable housing delivery, high‑street regeneration, social regeneration, and transport‑oriented development (TOD).
Event Host, Jason Mohammad and Professor Mark Barry, from Cardiff University, return for some final reflections on the Metro & Us Conference, before handing on to FOR Cardiff to invite delegates, speakers and exhibitors to gather for the curtain-closing drinks reception.
