WILL THE NEW FRANCHISE HAVE MORE ROLLING STOCK?

The simple answer is yes. But exactly how many, and on which routes, is a matter for the current bidders, who are not allowed to publicly reveal their plans.

The winning bidder will also have the contract to design and build the next phase of the South Wales Metro transport project, with the electrification of the Valley Lines into Cardiff.

And on what is the busiest part of the Wales and Borders franchise network, the Welsh Government wants to see far more rolling stock and frequency of service – which will provide more opportunities for people to leave their cars at home.

In theory, bigger trains and a more frequent service across the franchise should provide a better service for passengers. But don’t expect a whole fleet of new trains turning up at your station when the franchise goes live next October.

In its publication, entitled Rolling Out Our Metro, the Welsh Government said: “Metro is a new transport system that will transform the way we travel around the Cardiff Capital Region. It will provide faster, more frequent and joined-up services.”

That means at least four services an hour (currently two) from periphery stations on the Metro like Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr.

Closer to Cardiff it opens up the potential for up to 12 services an hour from Pontypridd (currently up to seven) into the capital.

And on the Valley Lines this could see new trams or light train rolling stock introduced.

How new rolling stock will be paid for – including new diesel-powered trains on other parts of the network, which will include some services crossing the border into England – has yet to be determined.

However, the winning bidder could lease new rolling stock, with the financing costs covered as part of the subsidy it would receive to operate services from the Welsh Government through Transport for Wales.

Alternatively, the Welsh Government itself could seek to finance the cost of new rolling stock and lease them to the franchise operator.

To encourage greater use of trains or trams on the franchise, the Welsh Government is committed to seeing huge park-and-ride schemes built close to existing and new Metro stations. These could be in places such as Llanwern, Merthyr and Taffs Well.

Arriva Trains Wales has faced criticism for having overcrowded trains, particularly on busy commuter services from the Valleys into Cardiff. However, it is currently investing in increasing capacity, which will continue into next year.

But when Arriva won the franchise back in 2003 from the UK Government’s Department for Transport, there was no provision for increasing train capacity in the event of rising passenger numbers.

So, they have done exactly what they were asked to do under the terms of the franchise and the DfT should have been smarter in its negotiations to ensure that if rail passenger growth proved to be higher than initially forecast at the time – which was the case – Arriva would have had to put on more rolling stock.