£5bn rail contract hits first snag – too few trains for new services
THE £5bn contract for Wales and Borders rail services has hit its first problem, a month before it comes into operation.
Transport for Wales Rail Services, which is due to take over from Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) on October 15, has been forced to postpone the launch of services between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street.
Last May, Network Rail completed a £19m infrastructure improvement to allow the services to begin in December, as has been promised for several years. ATW has recruited drivers for the trains.
However, Transport for Wales – the Welsh Government’s transport agency – now says there are not enough trains available for the new services.
TfW is also unable to confirm that new Sunday and early morning services will be launched in December, as promised by transport secretary Ken Skates when he announced the 15-year rail contract in June.
Britain’s rail timetables are changed only on two dates each year.
December 18 is the first opportunity for new operator KeolisAmey, under the Transport for Wales Rail Services branding, to make improvements.
In June, Mr Skates said Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare would receive additional early morning services to Cardiff Central on weekdays from December 2018.
A trial Sunday timetable on the Aberdare line would be made permanent, and an extra Sunday morning service introduced between Llandudno Junction and Chester to bridge a gap in the current timetable.
Also on the cards are extra services on Sundays between Wrexham and Bidston via Hawarden.
With just three months to go before the December timetable change date, Transport for Wales says: “We’ll confirm details of these services as soon as we can.”
A TfW spokeswoman explained: “We have been awaiting final confirmation of timetable bids from Network Rail, reflecting the major challenges it is currently facing with regards to timetabling across the whole rail network.”
Mr Skates also pledged in June: “We will be introducing a ChesterLiverpool service from December 2018.”
An official briefing on the new contract for Assembly Members explained that an hourly train would operate between the cities from December, calling at Liverpool South Parkway – close to Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
Now TfW says: “The services between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street were originally intended to be introduced from December 2018, however due to rolling stock availability issues we’re now planning to introduce these and the extended services from May 2019.
“We’re working with the industry to ensure that rolling stock is available and that the timetable can accommodate these extra services.”
There is a dusting of sugar on the pill. TfW aims to extend two of the new Liverpool services to Wrexham when they begin in May, making use of the new second track south of Chester which the Welsh Government funded.
Longer extensions are planned in December 2022 to create a service every hour between Liverpool and Llandudno and every two hours between Liverpool and Cardiff.
New trains from the CAF factory in Newport are due to be in use by then.
The rolling stock shortage is the result of decisions made long before KeolisAmey was awarded the contract. In July 2017, Mr Skates announced a £1.9m investment by the Welsh Government in five new “Flex” trains, each with four coaches.
The electric trains – ousted by new trains from the London area – were due to have diesel generators fitted, for use on the non-electrified Valley Lines. They were expected to arrive in Cardiff in June. The concept has suffered technical problems and the initial deployment of Flex trains, in north west England, did not occur in the spring as planned.
TfW has not abandoned the idea of using Flex trains.
A spokeswoman said: “The plan is to bring them into service for the May timetable, earlier if possible.”
The situation is compounded by the late start to a programme to modify old Sprinter trains so that they can continue in operation after January 1, 2020, the deadline for compliance with long-established accessibility regulations. Trains from the hardpressed Wales and Borders fleet are temporarily sent away for the modifications.