Whilst England gets billions spent on HS2 and other infrastructure projects Wales gets Twenty additional train coaches which will arrive in Wales next year to provide relief at last for passengers on the most crowded services.
The five 'Flex' trains, each comprising four coaches, have been displaced from the Thameslink route in London by new trains.
So we get clapped rolling stock m like some colony and are suposed to be grateful.
They are electric trains but will be fitted with diesel engines for use in Wales, where no railways have been electrified yet.
The extra capacity will also help to avert a crisis which was looming because most of Wales’ existing trains cannot continue in service beyond 2019 without being modified to meet accessibility rules.
The trains will be leased following an initial £1.9m investment by the Welsh Government and £1m from Arriva Trains Wales, which will operate the trains for less than a year before its franchise ends in October 2018.
Economy and infrastructure secretary Ken Skates said:
“I’ve made no secret of the difficulty in adding good quality rolling stock in Wales and am delighted that, by working with Arriva Trains Wales and others, we’ve been able to secure these extra trains.Commuters on the overcrowded Valleys line who often find Plaid leader Leanne Wood as fellow passengers will probably see no difference as they seem destined to improve communications with England
“The agreement to secure these trains is one part of a number of agreements with rail industry bodies that ensure that the majority of the current Wales and Borders fleet will comply with Persons of Restricted Mobility regulations by January 1, 2020.
“The extra trains will be available for the new franchisee to use until at least 2021.”
According to the Wasting Mule
In theory they could provide a much-needed direct link to Liverpool from Wrexham and Flintshire – where just 1% of commuters travel by train.It is symbolic of our third rate devolution where he are expected to be Pathetically grateful for these crumbs and can only look with envy to England as they see major infrastructure Projects.
ATW’s trains from Wrexham have to terminate at Bidston, on the Wirral, because they are powered by diesel and therefore not allowed in the tunnels under the Mersey and Liverpool. However, it is not currently clear whether electric trains carrying diesel would be allowed in the tunnels.
On the Cardiff to Cheltenham route, Flex trains would be able to operate on electricity as far as Severn Tunnel Junction once the main line between London and Cardiff has been electrified.
Oh wait we can look forward to the magical Cardiff Metro in which jiggling with the existing system under a Brand Name will solve all of South Wales Transport Problems,
No fancy maps and vague promises are going to convince me that in ten years we will be looking back and with nostalgia to the existing Train overcrowding delays and traffic jams endure now,
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