- 04/06/2018
- Posted by: Lesley Griffiths MS
- Category: News
Ground-breaking plans to transform the provision of rail services in Wales have been revealed by the new operators.
The Welsh Government’s vision of a high quality, accessible, affordable rail service, with substantially improved capacity and increased service frequency, will be delivered by Transport for Wales, a not-for-profit company working in partnership with Keolis-Amey.
Under the plans, £800m will be invested in new trains and £194m is set to modernise 247 stations across Wales. There will be 285 extra services Monday to Friday and 294 additional Sunday services.
In North Wales, services on the Wrexham – Bidston line will double. New services via the Halton Curve near Runcorn will commence as soon as work is completed in December. There is an intention to extend Wrexham – Bidston into Liverpool with newly rebuilt bimodal trains and from 2022, a new 2 hourly service from Liverpool to Cardiff will stop at Wrexham.
Flagship stations in Wrexham, Shotton and Chester will profit from the £194m funding outlined to modernised Wales’ railway stations. Increased and new services will run between Liverpool – Holyhead and Holyhead – Cardiff, with £750m being spent on new trains and £50m on rebuilt locomotive and bimodal trains.
There will also be a reduction in fares for certain passengers, with half price travel for 16 – 18 year olds and free travel for under 11s.
Wrexham’s Assembly Member, Lesley Griffiths has welcomed today’s announcement and said: “Today’s statement ushers in a new era for rail services in Wales. This substantial investment will vastly improve passengers’ experiences and will transform the nation’s transport system.”
“I am particularly pleased Wrexham and the surrounding areas are set to benefit. The Welsh Labour Government recently invested in our region by redoubling a section of the line between Wrexham and Chester but it is clear this latest announcement will see our local rail services and facilities improve furthermore over the coming years.”
