Great Western Cities ( cy, Dinasoedd Mawr y Gorllewin) is a collaborative initiative launched in February 2015 by the cities of
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, and
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
and
Newport, in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, to improve cooperation in the area as a
city region
City region is a term in use since about 1950 by urbanists, economists and urban planners to mean a metropolitan area and hinterland, often having a shared administration. Typically, it denotes a city, conurbation or urban zone with multiple admi ...
, and to develop economic and environmental partnerships.
The three cities are located on the
Severn estuary
The Severn Estuary ( cy, Aber Hafren) is the estuary of the River Severn, flowing into the Bristol Channel between South West England and South Wales. Its high tidal range, approximately , means that it has been at the centre of discussions in t ...
and are linked by the
M4 and
M48 road bridges
A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...
, and by rail via the
Severn Tunnel
The Severn Tunnel ( cy, Twnnel Hafren) is a railway tunnel in the United Kingdom, linking South Gloucestershire in the west of England to Monmouthshire in south Wales under the estuary of the River Severn. It was constructed by the Great Western ...
. The joint initiative followed publication of a report in 2014, ''Unleashing Metro Growth'', which proposed greater collaboration between cities and identified the Severn region as a ‘power-house city region’ critical to the UK economy as a whole.
At the launch of the Great Western Cities initiative on 4 February 2015, it was said that the cities had a combined economic output of £58 billion, but could improve their competitiveness by better joint working. It was said that "investment in the region must focus on improving connectivity, realising the energy potential of the Severn Estuary and Bristol Channel and promoting the region as a high-quality destination for international business."
Phil Bale of
Cardiff City Council said that if the initiative did not go ahead "Cardiff would lose jobs and investment." Bristol's
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
,
George Ferguson, said that the cities were, together, "the best economic powerhouse outside London." The
Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb said that: "By working together our great cities can pack a bigger economic punch to support business and private enterprise."
[
The toll on ]Severn Bridge
The Severn Bridge ( cy, Pont Hafren) is a motorway suspension bridge that spans the River Severn between South Gloucestershire in England and Monmouthshire in South East Wales. It is the original Severn road crossing between England and Wale ...
was scrapped on 17th Dec 2018 onwards. While scrapping the toll, the Welsh secretary, Alun Cairns
Alun Hugh Cairns (born 30 July 1970) is a Welsh Conservative Party politician serving as the member of Parliament (MP) for Vale of Glamorgan since 2010. He served as Secretary of State for Wales from 2016 to 2019.
He was previously a membe ...
expressed his hope that:
References
{{Reflist
External links
*
City Growth Commission
* City Growth Commission ''Unleashing Metro Growth''
Final Recommendations
October 2014
Economy of Bristol
Economy of Cardiff
Newport, Wales
Regionalism (politics) in the United Kingdom