New stations, trains and jobs promised in ‘new era for rail’
SOUTH Wales is set to get five new railway stations under a new era for train travel in Wales, which will also include a huge increase in service frequency, capacity and quality of rolling stock, and the creation of 600 jobs.
Last week the Welsh Government announced it had chosen KeolisAmey to run the next 15-year Wales & Borders rail franchise and also to design and build the next phase of the Metro, which will see the electrification of the core Valley Lines.
With new rolling stock on the franchise at a cost of nearly £1bn – which will be directly financed by the Welsh Government – investment in upgrading existing stations and five new ones, as well as rail operating subsidies, it will have a value of about £5bn over the next 15 years.
Chief executive of Keolis UK Alistair Gordon said that in five years, the railways in Wales “will be unrecognisable” from what they are today after suffering years of underinvestment.
KeolisAmey, which will run the franchise from October, says passengers will start to see improvements in service levels from December, with increased capacity on the Valleys Lines and new services between Chester and Liverpool The plans include: An additional 600 staff will be recruited to deliver the service in a range of roles, while 450 new apprenticeships – 30 every year – will also be created over the life of the contract;
£1.9bn will be invested in improving passengers’ travel experience, including an £800m investment in trains, boosting overall service capacity by 65%;
All trains will be replaced by 2023 when 95% of journeys (though not on mileage) will be on brand new trains, half of which will be assembled in Wales at a new factory at Llanwern, Newport, by Spanish firm CAF;
£194m will be invested to modernise all 247 stations, with four new stations at Gabalfa, Crwys Road, Loudoun Square and the Flourish (next to the Wales Millennium Centre), in Cardiff, serviced by tram-trains that will run on battery power on streets across the city. It is also understood there are plans for a new Treforest station nearer to Nantgarw, where the Department for Work and Pensions is creating a new HQ for 1,700 staff and where a Coleg y Cymoedd campus is located.
Stations will be powered 100% by renewable energy, at least 50% of which will be sourced in Wales; and
Investment in active travel initiatives will include the installation of new cycle lockers and a target to achieve secure station accreditation for all stations.
KeolisAmey says that by the end of 2023, passengers will be able to take advantage of an additional 285 services each weekday across Wales (a 29% increase).
This will include improvements to the Ebbw Vale and Wrexham to Bidston lines, as well as the Cambrian and Heart of Wales lines.
Sunday services will be boosted by 61% with an additional 294 services across the country.
Smart ticketing will ensure fares are more flexible and cheaper off-peak fares will be introduced, including fare reductions in North Wales and at approximately 50% of stations in the Valleys.
All staff working for Arriva Trains Wales, totalling 2,356, of which 610 are train drivers and 512 guards, will transfer over to KeolisAmey.
It currently has a fleet of 127 trains, with in excess of 1,000 passenger services per day.
The final design solution for the next phase of the Metro will now be subject to more detailed discussions between Transport for Wales and KeolisAmey, which will now proceed to make a full investigation of the state of the current Network Railowned asset, that will be transferred to the Welsh Government.
Work on electrification could still be about 18 months away with a completion date of 2023, although not all sections of the core Valley lines will be electrified.
The rolling stock solution from KeolisAmey is expected see tram-trains, running on batteries onstreet in Cardiff to reach Cardiff Bay, as well providing future extendable onstreet options in the Valleys.
However, it is understood that newly-commissioned rolling stock with the capacity to switch between diesel, electric and battery mode will run on the Rhymney and the Vale of Glamorgan lines. Not all of the Rhymney Line will be electrified, including through the Caerphilly Tunnel.
On the rest of the network, including the Merthyr and Coryton lines, KeolisAmey will introduce tram-trains, which will switch to battery power to go on streets.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “This is an important moment for transport in Wales and begins a new chapter for rail services. The way we shaped this procurement was different. We put passengers’ priorities at the centre of our thinking and threw out a challenge to all of the bidders to address the concerns they had about seat capacity, journey times and service frequency.
“This is a landmark moment in the future development of Wales.”
Keolis UK chief executive Mr Gordon said: “We are excited about the transformation we’re going to deliver here in Wales, working alongside Amey once again and in partnership with Transport for Wales.
“While the changes we need to make will take time, we are creating a platform for future economic growth and prosperity that will benefit all of Wales now and for generations to come.
“In five years’ time, the railway will be unrecognisable from what it is today thanks to the vision of the Welsh Government. We can’t wait to get started.”
Andy Milner, Amey’s chief executive, said: “Building on our successful partnership with Keolis, we are excited to be taking on the Wales and Borders contract.
“This is a great opportunity for us to use our joint capabilities to deliver a first-rate service for Wales and its communities. As well as creating new jobs and apprenticeship opportunities, we will be focused on upgrading the existing infrastructure and introducing new trains to significantly improve the passenger experience. We are looking forward to working with Transport for Wales in a partnership which will see the full replacement of all trains, and major upgrades.
“We are also looking forward to working with the very proud and dedicated men and women running the railway in Wales today, who will join us on this exciting journey.”
The franchise will commence on October 14 and run until October 16, 2033.
James Price, chief executive of Transport for Wales, said: “This is the beginning of an exciting journey of transformation that will dramatically improve rail services throughout Wales and its borders and we’ve put our customers’ needs at the heart of this transformation.
“This is more than a significant investment in rail services, it’s also an investment in the future prosperity of Wales.
“The people and communities of Wales will be better connected by new and improved rail services, opening up a wealth of employment, leisure and other opportunities.”