Metro work won’t be complete until 2024 as Covid disruption blamed for delay

PROGRESS on the South Wales Metro has been delayed and is now set to be finished by 2024, Transport for Wales has said.

The project, which will see much of the valley line network electrified, was due to be finished next year, but Transport for Wales (TfW) has said the majority of the first phase is scheduled to be complete in 2024.

The news of the delay, first reported by ITV Wales, comes as the first electric lines were installed.

The £750m project includes tramtrains on lines from Cardiff to Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil. It is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and has received funds from the UK Government.

TfW has been carrying out construction, engineering and infrastructure work to upgrade the rail network ready for the Metro, and will continue to do so.

The works include electrifying around 170km of track, upgrading stations, installing new telecommunications and signalling systems, and building a new Metro train depot and a signalling control centre.

So far, TfW has installed 432 signalling assets and 158km of signalling cable, dug 1,724 holes for electrification masts, installed 109 masts, renewed 18,000 metres of railway track and 25,000 metres of fencing.

A spokesperson said work is progressing well on the construction of a new £100m depot and Metro control centre at Taff’s Well.

The Taff’s Well depot will be home to the new Metro trains as well as 400 train crew, 35 maintenance staff and 52 Metro Control Centre staff.

Works have been focused across the Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr, Queen Street and City Lines, with early works now commencing on the area between Queen Street North and Rhymney.

A TfW spokesperson said: “Like similar organisations undertaking major infrastructure programmes, we have encountered delays as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent global shortage of available materials but progress is now being made at pace.”

TfW says the majority of key works for the first phase is scheduled for completion in 2024.