A young woman faces a nightmare four-hour daily commute to and from her job just eight miles from her home in the Wrexham area, it\u2019s been revealed.<\/p>\n
Her case was highlighted at a meeting of the Wrexham Business Professionals group who were told that improvements to public transport links are needed urgently to attract new companies to the city.<\/p>\n
Thanks to the global profile generated by Wrexham AFC and its Hollywood owners, Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds, the area was uniquely placed for a surge in development with the potential to trigger a huge boost to the local economy.<\/p>\n
At their packed breakfast meeting at Maesgwyn Hall, across the road from the famous Racecourse ground, the group heard from the vice chancellor of the nearby Wrexham University, Professor Maria Hinfelaar, and her colleague, Dr Paul Hildreth, an international advisor on cities, regions and local economies.<\/p>\n
The pair are the joint authors of an in-depth new study looking at the business make-up of the Mersey Dee Valley area – which includes Wrexham, Flintshire and Chester \u2013 both before and after Brexit and Covid 19 disruption.<\/p>\n
Nearly 50 companies across the region took part in the study to assess how the make-up of the area affects the potential for economic growth, including how small and large companies engage with surrounding communities, business networks and local authorities.<\/p>\n
It went on to investigate how significantly the aftermath of Brexit and Covid impacted on the approach of local companies as the local economy cranked up again.<\/p>\n
The report included two case studies involving Wrexham-based companies, cereals producer Kellogg\u2019s and Unimaq, one of only three firms in the world manufacturing machines used by the aluminium can industry.<\/p>\n
Dr Hildreth said: \u201cUnlike cities such as neighbouring Liverpool or Manchester where everything is more cohesively integrated, Wrexham, Flintshire and Chester all have their own identities and strive to independently maintain those identities while also working inter-dependently to try to support each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a trading and growth perspective it faces a more unusual set of circumstances and challenges than most big cities. One of the main problems for employers and employees can be simply getting from A to B.\u201d<\/p>\n
The point was echoed by\u00a0 Professor Hinfelaar who is retiring this year.<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cCertainly in both the case studies of Kellogg\u2019s and Unimaq this was mentioned as being a hindrance to recruitment with many areas, including Wrexham Industrial Estate proving virtually inaccessible for anyone who does not have a car.\u201d<\/p>\n
The point was reinforced by Rachel Clacher, co-founder of Wrexham-based Moneypenny, the UK\u2019s leading provider of telephone and web-based communications and answering services for businesses.<\/p>\n
According to Ms Clacher, she had come across numerous examples of public transport being lacking to meet the needs of employers and employees.<\/p>\n
A case in point was the example of the young woman from who spent four hours travelling the eight miles to and from work.<\/p>\n
Ms Clacher said: \u201cShe has to first travel by bus from Gwersyllt to Wrexham bus station where she has to wait 45 minutes for a second bus to take her to Wrexham Industrial Estate, in all it\u2019s a two hour commute.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you add in the return journey that is four hours of this young woman\u2019s time spent travelling, every day. The fact is that the service is not good enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are the sort of issues we need to address if Wrexham is to benefit from the opportunities which are coming its way over the next few years.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said Wrexham\u2019s new found city status and its place in the international<\/p>\n
spotlight as a result of Wrexham AFC\u2019s success were key drivers which could pull in more investment to help boost the local economy.<\/p>\n
But she stressed that businesses and local authorities need to work together to overcome any ongoing obstacles which may deter investors.<\/p>\n
Ian Edwards, a leading member of Wrexham Business Professionals that\u2019s made up of company owners, managers and skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity, agreed with the speakers about the vital importance of improving public transport for the sake of the city\u2019s future prosperity.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cOur poor public transport infrastructure is stifling growth at a time when we have an unprecedented opportunity to forge ahead economically in Wrexham.<\/p>\n
It was a view shared by fellow member Louise Harper who added: \u201cThis wonderful city is a brilliant place to live and work and the public and private sectors need to collaborate to make the most of our untapped potential.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d also like to take this opportunity to give a special thank you to Maria who is retiring this year, having had a hugely positive impact on the university and the wider community. We wish her all the very best.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information about Wrexham Business Professionals meetings, events and campaigns go to <\/strong>wrexhambusinessprofessionals.com<\/strong><\/a>, email\u00a0 <\/strong>contactus@wrexhambusinessprofessionals.com<\/strong><\/a> or<\/strong> ring 01978 752500. <\/strong><\/p>\n