Today, Monday, 12th June, is the start of a week-long celebration of sustainable transport options in Wales that is reflected in the week's title message of “Better Transport Week” when a different transport theme will be highlighted each day.
Today is ‘Rail Day', and it was launched by Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters who, along with representatives from the Campaign for Better Transport, saw and heard about the railway revolution currently taking place in the Principality.
Transport for Wales (TfW) is investing £800 million into new rolling stock, and this year has started to introduce three types of new trains that will operate across the Wales and Borders network.
The first new type of train to be introduced was the Class 197 train, which is set to become the basis for services across the entire Transport for Wales network. The Class 197 was followed by the Class 231 FLIRTs (Fast Light Intercity Rapid Transit) trains that will be used on the South Wales Metro, whilst North Wales battery-powered Class 230s were introduced.
The billion-pound South Wales Metro project adds to the Wales' railway revolution. Work on this project, which will electrify the South Wales valley lines, is also well underway, which saw the first phase of electrification going live earlier this month.
During the next few weeks, Wales's first light rail vehicles in the form of new tram-trains are set to start testing, and once in service, they will provide greener and faster travel.
The Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters said: “I am pleased to be welcoming Campaign for Better Transport to Cardiff today.
Our transport system is entering a period of transformational changes and I am delighted to be able to showcase some of the work that is taking place to create a more sustainable transport network across Wales.”
Silviya Barrett, Director of Policy and Research at the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “We're really pleased to be here in Wales today to launch Better Transport Week. Wales has forged ahead with transport policies that champion sustainable transport to improve lives and we are delighted to be here in Cardiff, celebrating sustainable transport through the first-ever Better Transport Week.
“The sheer number of partners that have pledged support for the week, from central and local government, industry and business, to NGOs and passenger groups, shows just how important and valuable sustainable transport is.”
Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer said: “Better Transport Week is a focus on sustainable transport and within Wales we're implementing a programme of transformational change that will create a more sustainable transport network.
“We've now started to introduce brand-new trains to our network as part of our commitment to improving the journey experience for our customers. Over the coming months and years, we'll continue to progressively introduce more, and this will totally transform our rail network. Within a few years, 95% of journeys on our Wales and Borders network will be on a new train.”
Notes to editors
Pictured: Deputy Minister for Climate Change with responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters and Silviya Barrett, Director of Policy and Research at the Campaign for Better Transport.
I look forward to any form of integrated passenger service. The focus seems to be on the major Welsh towns and those of us also “in Wales” do not benefit from reliable buses to take us the twenty five miles to ‘a’ railway station to take advantage of the new trains. It’s great these things are happening but not that gives me an option not to use my car.
All the participants in rail , in the UK, are to blame for the abysmal services, in Wales and elsewhere.In Wales there is doubt over when the 175 diesel units will all be repaired.Recently on a service from Tywyn to Porthmadog, why wife and I experienced hooligan behaviour from “school children” , who boarded and gave us a nightmare return journey.
In many parts of Britain the strikes continue to look over us all, making planning for next year impossible.
For various reasons the railway is a joke, in Wales and elsewhere.
I had to look at the calendar to check it wasn’t 1st April! For many, no most, people living in the Principality, this week will be like any other week: a litany of cancelled/late trains and bus replacements (if you are lucky!).
Perhaps Mr Waters should show his face outside Cardiff, and then he would realise the Herculean task of getting people out of their cars. For example Llandovery on the Central Wales line has seen all timetabled trains run their full course and all trains run to 5 minutes of timetable time on just THREE days so far in 2023.