Electrification work for South Wales Metro to start in August
WORK on rail’s £734m South Wales Metro project will start next month. The Welsh Government project will see the electrification of the Core Valley Lines (from Treherbert, Aberdare, Merthyr and Rhymney into Cardiff) as well as the Coryton and City Lines through the capital down to Cardiff Bay.
While some preparatory work on the project is already under way, engineers will now start putting up the electric wires across the network, which is currently served by diesel-powered trains.
This vital work can start after the UK Government transferred the rail asset from Network Rail to the Welsh Government back in March.
In total around 170 kilometres of track will be electrified, although the Rhymney Line beyond Ystrad Mynach will not be electrified, with new trimode trains switching to battery mode.
On the commissioned rolling stock the first Class 398 tram-trains will be in operation on the Aberdare, Merthyr and Treherbert Lines from 2022, and the City Line from 2023.
The Class 756 trimodes (which can switch between diesel, battery and electric mode), will be in operation on the Rhymney and Coryton Lines from 2023.
The project will also see new stations with:
■ Crwys Road in Cardiff (by end of 2022);
■ Loudoun Square in Cardiff (by end of 2023);
■ Cardiff Bay (by end of 2023);
■ Treforest Estate (by end of 2025); and
■ Gabalfa in Cardiff (by 2028) Funding consists of £164m from the European Union, £445m from the Welsh Government and the £1.3bn City Deal for the Cardiff Capital Region and £125m from the UK Government.
Before the pandemic some 13.5 million passenger journeys took place each year. This is expected to increase by about 15-20% over the next six years on the Core Valley Lines. This is based on pre-coronavirus pandemic forecasts.
On the Core Valley Lines a turnup-and-go service will be implemented with four services an hour at peak from the periphery of the network into Cardiff and back from locations such as Rhymney and Merthyr, compared to one nearly every hour currently.
Pontypridd will be at the heart of the Metro with 12 services, both directions into Cardiff.
The European funding is conditional on the entire project being completed by 2023. However, if there is slippage due to coronavirus, it would seem unlikely that they would seek repayment.
Work will take place during the daytime and at night. Transport for Wales said it will put in place alternative transport provision, like buses, for passengers when work impacts on services.
The design and construction of the project is being delivered KeolisAmey, which won the bid to run the current Wales and Borders rail franchise, which it took over from Arriva Trains Wales in October 2018.
The franchise and Metro delivery contracts were awarded by The Welsh Government’s transport body, Transport for Wales. The franchise, which runs for 15 years, is branded as Transport for Wales Rail Services.
Non-electrification work on the project to date includes work on a depot and control centre for the Metro at Taff’s Well and an infrastructure hub in Treforest.
There are currently 250 people working on the project, which will rise at peak to around 600 to 800. As part of the asset transfer deal some 31 Network Rail staff have moved over to Transport for Wales.
Chief executive of Transport for Wales James Price said: “Transport for Wales is absolutely committed to delivering the South Wales Metro and we have now moved forward with further transformational works.
“At the start of the year, we opened our Metro Infrastructure Hub at Treforest, as well as starting construction work on our Metro Control Centre at Taff’s Well.
“We’ve been undertaking surveying and design work across the valley railway lines and are now progressing on to the next phase and transforming the railway lines, starting on 3 August, 2020.
“We understand the impact of Covid19 but will be following all relevant safety advice from Welsh Government as we push forward with our investment programme.”
On the significant development work ahead,
Mr Price said: “This is a once-in-a-generation project, and through building the South Wales Metro we hope to help regenerate the economy in Wales, especially as we enter the Covid-19 recovery phase.
“It is a major, long-term project that won’t happen overnight. We now have significant physical infrastructure work to do to overhaul our rail network, which was largely built in the Victorian era, to get it ready for our new faster, greener and more frequent train service.
“We hope that the people of south Wales and our neighbours living near our railway lines will be excited by the opportunities the South Wales Metro will bring.
“I also want to assure them that whilst we have a lot of work to do, we’ll do all we can to minimise disruption caused by the work we’ll be undertaking and that we’ll regularly update them about the progress we’re making as work continues.”
Ken Skates, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, said: “It’s great to see work commencing on the ground to deliver this ambitious scheme.
“Making it easier for people to travel in the future will ensure communities are better connected while increasing access to social and economic opportunities.
“The transformation of the Core Valley Lines provides a real opportunity to assist in the economic recovery from Covid-19 through the utilisation of local supply chains to build back better.
“Our investment in Metro systems in the north and the south of Wales is evidence of our commitment to creating a modern transport network that will meet Wales’ future needs.”
Kevin Thomas, chief executive of Transport for Wales Rail Services added: “It is a great credit to everyone involved that even when faced with these challenging times we are able to continue our transformational work on Transport for Wales’ rail network. “This started with the transfer of the Core Valley Line assets from Network Rail back in March, and is continuing as we progress with complex plans that will deliver the Metro, and all the benefits this will bring.”