The changes we’re set to see from new train operator

KeolisAmey Metro Train

ON Sunday, October 14, Arriva Trains Wales services will pass to a new operator when KeolisAmey, branded as Transport for Wales Rail Services, will take over.

Its 15-year contract involves £5bn of public funding – operating subsidy and capital investment – and promises to transform rail travel, particularly in the central Valleys region.

Most of that improvement is for later. It will take several years to build new trains, for example, and the Valley Lines improvements depend on major investment in electrification and additional tracks and station platforms.

However, some changes will be noticeable from day one, or even before.

At many stations, for example, Arriva’s logo has already been replaced with Transport for Wales branding on signs. Here’s what you can expect to change:

Compensation for delays From Sunday, season ticket holders and other passengers will be able to claim refunds for delays of 30 minutes or more under the rail industry’s Delay Repay format, using the new TfW Rail Services website or by filling in forms available at stations.

From January 31, 2019, a more generous system will be introduced, with refunds for delays of 15 minutes or more. A better process will also be implemented for claims to be made via the TfW mobile app.

TfW Rail Services intends to introduce an option where refunds can be diverted to a charitable fund. This, along with other fundraising activities on the rail network, should generate substantial donations to selected charities.

Deep clean of stations The new contract includes almost £200m of improvements to all Wales and Borders stations.

The stations will be “deep cleaned”. First up are Pontypridd, where a launch event is due to be held on Sunday, along with Chirk, in the constituency of transport secretary of Ken Skates, and nearby Wrexham General. Improved signs will be installed at Wrexham General to test public reaction before the concept is rolled out to other stations.

Rebranding The Transport for Wales brand will be applied to trains, stations and uniforms, showing passengers that Arriva is no longer the company to contact with complaints or when seeking lost property. Initially the staff will continue to wear their Arriva uniforms, with the Arriva logo covered over as much as possible. TfW uniforms will be issued after staff consultation. ATW’s printed material will be withdrawn at the weekend and replaced by TfW equivalents, with new timetable booklets for the two months until the December timetable change date.

New ticketing app On Sunday, the ATW mobile ticketing app will be replaced with a TfW Rail Services app.

The ATW app will continue to work for three months.

Any existing tickets on ATW’s app, even if bought on Saturday evening, will be accepted by TfW Rail Services until they expire within the three months.

The new app will initially replicate the ATW app but will eventually evolve to feature new products. TfW Rail Services will also introduce its own website.

Train refurbishment About £40m is due to be spent on improving trains TfW will inherit from ATW.

Most of the trains will be modified to meet accessibility regulations, the deadline for which is the end of 2019. The results will be particularly noticeable on the Valley Lines Sprinter trains (also used in north Wales), which will receive wheelchair-access toilets and digital information screens.

Most of the money will fund refurbishing and deep cleaning the trains. New carpets and seat coverings will be installed. Refurbishment is overdue on the Coradia units which are used on the most profitable longdistance services but are now shabby, particularly where faulty double glazing mars the view through the window.

TfW Rail Services also aims to eliminate air conditioning faults which have made the environment uncomfortable in summer on the Class 158 trains, used on the Cambrian lines in mid Wales and other routes.

Improvements are also planned to Welsh-language information inside trains.

Flex trains TfW expects that five additional trains, each consisting of four coaches, will supplement the Valley Lines fleet by May.

The Flex units are surplus electric trains from London with new diesel engines for use on non-electrified routes.

Technical problems with the first of the converted trains have forced TfW to postpone the new service between Chester and Liverpool, which was due to start in December. The Flex units would have released Sprinters from South Wales for the new service.

The first Flex unit has now reached 75mph under test. It needs further testing at 85mph before it starts carrying passengers in the Liverpool and Manchester area.

More staff Passengers in north, mid and west Wales have been affected in recent months by train cancellations resulting from staff shortages. Staffing often reduces towards the end of franchise contracts, but TfW believes this will cause fewer problems here than have been seen at other franchise hand-overs.

TfW started recruiting extra staff some time ago, with ATW acting on its behalf. Currently its training facilities are running at full capacity.

TfW wants to end the shortage of drivers based at Shrewsbury as soon as possible, to reduce cancellations of trains on the Cambrian and other routes.

Rhodri Clark