Wales On Sunday

NEW RAIL OPERATOR LINES UP CHANGES

As Arriva Trains Wales hands over the operation of rail services to Keolis Amey this weekend, CATHY OWEN and TYLER MEARS look at what passengers can expect

-

THERE are big changes on the railways in Wales this weekend, but passengers are not going to notice many difference­s to begin with. Arriva Trains Wales are handing over the keys to the nation’s crumbling local commuters trains to Transport for Wales and new operator Keolis Amey.

It will bring down the curtain on nearly 15 years in which passenger numbers have rocketed, the nation’s rolling stock has got older and Arriva has reaped huge profits.

But there are only going to be a few changes at the start for passengers.

“Very little will change on the first day – staff, timetables and fares will remain the same, and existing tickets remain valid,” said James Bennett, communicat­ions officer for Transport for Wales.

“But, we are introducin­g the new brand of Transport for Wales Rail Services and this will start to appear on trains, stations, posters and staff uniforms.

“The bigger changes are to come in the years ahead as we progress with our exciting modernisat­ion plans, with new and improved stations, better services, more carriages, new and completely rebuilt trains. “Customers will start to see significan­t changes from 2019.” This is what to expect on Day One:

All existing tickets remain valid, including multiplex, which will be valid for the next three months.

A new customer website tfwrail. wales/trctrenau.cymru and app will be launched tomorrow for all informatio­n and queries.

All Arriva Trains Wales staff will become TfW Rail Services staff, with new uniforms. (This is temporary, with plans to develop a new uniform in consultati­on with staff.)

TfW branding will be at stations and start to appear on some trains as well as on informatio­n leaflets and posters.

Deep-cleaning of all stations begins.

Announceme­nts on trains and stations will remain the same initially, but new welcome messages are in the process of being prepared.

On-train WiFi will remain the same initially, but new WiFi will be rolled out at all stations in the coming years.

Tickets will still be the same orange tickets – as Transport for Wales say these are a “national design”.

The contact phone number for customer relations will remain as 03333 211 202.

The same drinking rules will apply. E.g. no drinking alcohol between Treherbert and Pontypridd.

There will be new Twitter and Facebook accounts for Transport for Wales: @TfWrail

James Price, chief executive of Transport for Wales, says that passengers can expect their rail service to be transforme­d within just five years.

The plan is that by 2023, 95% of passengers’ journeys will take place on new, higher capacity trains and there will also be 285 extra services every week day.

“From Sunday, the Transport for Wales brand will start to appear on uniforms, around stations and on trains and posters,” he said.

“Passengers will be welcomed by the same staff, and travel on the same trains on the same routes and timetables – and, importantl­y, their existing tickets will all still be valid as before.

“Behind the scenes, lots more positive changes will be starting to happen, and we’ll be keeping passengers informed all the way along.”

The company has also published what they call a “railmap” of improvemen­ts that will take place between now and 2025.

They say it will include new and improved stations, better services, more carriages, new and completely rebuilt trains, bettervalu­e fares, pay-as-you-go travelcard­s, free WiFi, improved accessibil­ity for those with mobility problems at all stations, and new websites and apps to help passengers stay informed and buy tickets easily.

Mr Price explained the Transport for Wales team has planned all improvemen­ts with the difference a reliable rail service makes to peo- ple’s lives as the primary motivation.

“We know what reliable rail travel actually means to people, and it’s so much more than getting from A to B.

“It’s making a job interview in plenty of time, getting home in time to bath the children, or arriving at work well before your shift starts. This contract was awarded on the basis of exactly that – what it will deliver for passengers in Wales and the Borders,” he said.

“So this timeline has been developed with the aim of giving people confidence that the train will get them where they need or want to be on time and in comfort, using a value-for-money, reliable, frequent service.”

He added that from January 2019 that instead of refunds for delays of 30 minutes or more, it will be for 15 minutes or more.

Tickets will be available from Transport for Wales Rail Services’ new customer website tfwrail. wales/trctrenau.cymru from today.

David Sidebottom, director at rail watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Passengers tell us that their priorities for the new Wales and Borders railway are reliable services on which they can get a seat and are good value for money.

“Passengers will look forward to seeing the benefits of new trains, additional services and increased capacity.

“To maintain passengers’ trust, Transport for Wales must clearly communicat­e when these improvemen­ts will be delivered and how passengers might be disrupted by any necessary changes over the coming years.

“We look forward to working closely with Transport for Wales in helping deliver a new service with passengers’ interests at its heart.” What does this mean for passengers in North Wales?

Introducti­on of a direct service between Manchester Airport and Bangor from December 2022.

Planned introducti­on of new services from May 2019 between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street. Two of these services will be extended to serve Wrexham.

Frequency of Wrexham to Bidston service doubled by 2022.

Increase in frequency to three trains per hour on weekday services between Chester and Llandudno Junction from December 2022.

Extra services from Wrexham to Cardiff and Liverpool by 2023.

New direct services between Manchester Airport and Bangor by 2023.

Investment at Blaenau Ffestiniog station by 2023 and at Shotton and Wrexham General stations by 2024.

Extra services on summer Sundays for the north Cambrian coast by 2024. What does this mean for passengers in The Borders?

New services between Chester and Liverpool from 2019.

Delivery of the North East Wales Metro, with increased frequency to two trains per hour on the Wrexham to Bidston line from December 2021.

Introducti­on of a new Liverpool to Llandudno service (one train per hour), a Liverpool to Shrewsbury service (one train per hour) and a Liverpool to Cardiff service (one train every two hours) by December 2022.

New direct services between Manchester and Bangor by 2023.

Extra services from Wrexham to Cardiff and Liverpool by 2023.

Doubling of the frequency of the weekday Shrewsbury to Chester service from December 2022.

Extra services from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyt­h by 2023.

Additional summer Sunday services between Tywyn and Pwllheli from May 2023 to include, from 2025, a new express service every hour between major centres.

Introducti­on of a new firstclass service from Swansea to Manchester from 2024. Airport What does this mean for passengers in South East Wales?

Electrific­ation of 172km of track to deliver the Central Metro and enable four trains per hour from the top of each Valley Line.

Station improvemen­ts at Abergavenn­y, Cardiff Central, Merthyr Tydfil and Chepstow.

Introducti­on of a new Ebbw Vale to Newport service, with one train per hour from May 2021.

Extra services from Cardiff to Cheltenham by 2023.

New station at Crwys Road, Cardiff, by 2023.

Extra services from Wrexham to Cardiff and Liverpool by 2023

New station at Loudoun Square, Cardiff, to open by 2024.

New Metro station set to open at Cardiff Bay by 2024, bringing on-street tram operation back to the capital after more than 70 years. What does this mean for passengers in Mid and South West Wales?

New station at Bow Street, near Aberystwyt­h by 2020.

Station investment­s at Carmarthen in 2021, Machynllet­h in 2024 and Llanelli in 2025.

Doubling of the frequency of services on the Cambrian Line from December 2022.

Additional services on the Heart of Wales line, and between Carmarthen and Fishguard Harbour.

Extra services from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyt­h by 2023.

Introducti­on of a new firstclass service from Swansea to Manchester from 2024.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom