Transport in the Wrexham area. The largest town in the north of Wales and the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England. As the largest town in the north of Wales, it is a major centre of the region’s commercial, retail and educational infrastructure.
The Railway Age
In 1846 the first steam trains began the Railway Age in Wrexham. The line was originally called The North Wales Mineral Railway. This was backed by local businessmen, among whom the developer of the steel works at Brymbo, Henry Robertson, is well known.
Today Wrexham County has five railway stations, Wrexham General, Wrexham Central, Gwersyllt, Ruabon and Chirk. Until the early 1980s what is now platform 4 of Wrexham General, serving the Wrexham Central – Bidston service, was a separate station, Wrexham Exchange.
The tram is more than a vehicle — it represents a solution to transport problems… The tram was the first vehicle to provide cheap urban transport for the masses. On its arrival in Britain (from the United States) in 1860, it was welcomed as a means of transport that gave a far smoother ride than the previous horse-drawn bus. The track on which the trams journeyed was found to be much less bumpy and rutted than the road surfaces of the day! More on the Trams here
Buses
A recent focus on road transport by the council has improved bus travel in the Wrexham area, with most buses being low-floor and with slightly elevated bus stops to allow easier access. A new bus terminal, the largest in north Wales, has been built in King Street, featuring indoor shops and ambient music, along with a staffed information booth. The bus station serves local, regional and long-distance bus services. It is served by various bus companies, including Wrights of Wrexham, Arriva Buses Wales, GHA Coaches (Now closed) and Townlynx. Long-distance coaches are available to Edinburgh via Manchester, Bradford and Leeds and to London via Telford and Birmingham. The Wrexham Shuttle provides a link between Wrexham and the nearby industrial estate.
The Road Network
The town centre is orbited by the ring road. The northern and eastern parts of the road are dualled between Rhosddu Road roundabout and Eagles Meadow. The A483 is Wrexham’s principal route. It skirts the western edge of the town, dividing it from the urban villages to the west. The road has connections with major roads (A55(M53), A5(M54)). The A5156 leads to the A534 and on to the Wrexham Industrial Estate. The A541 road is the main route into Wrexham from Mold and the town’s western urban area. It connects to the B5101 road which eventually leads to the A5104 road to the east of Treuddyn in Flintshire.
Canals
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, full name in Welsh: Traphont Ddŵr Pontcysyllte is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee. When the bridge was built it linked the villages of Froncysyllte, at the southern end of the bridge in the Cysyllte township of Llangollen parish and the Trevor Basin, at the northern end of the bridge in the Trefor Isaf township of Llangollen parish. Both were later transferred to Wrexham County Borough.
