Wales Route Utilisation Strategy

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Extra platforms, new stations, longer trains and more tracks are among the measures being proposed in a 10-year plan to improve Wales' railways (links below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7425812.stm

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browseDirectory.aspx?dir=\RUS%20Documents\Route%20Utilisation%20Strategies\Wales&pageid=4449&root=\RUS%20Documents\Route%20Utilisation%20Strategies

Among the options being suggested are:

Adding more track between Wrexham and Chester and upgrading signalling at Abergavenny to improve the frequency and journey time of trains between north and south Wales.

Providing new platforms at Cardiff Central, Pontypridd and Caerphilly to help the long-term vision of 16 trains per hour through the South Wales Valley network.

Building new stations at Llanwern in Newport and Energlyn, Caerphilly, to support residential development in these areas.

Adding more track between Llanelli and Carmarthen to improve performance and consequently, encourage more people to use the train at Gowerton.

Creating a new freight terminal and connection at Blaenau Ffestiniog to allow trains to carry more slate waste.

Currently, around 31m people are estimated to use the railways in Wales each year but that is expected to rise to around 40m by 2018.

Dave Ward, route director for Network Rail, which has drawn up the Wales Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) said the options were "realistic" and "cost-effective yet far-reaching measures to get the best out of the network."

Rail consumer watchdog Passenger Focus welcomed Network Rail's strategy and encouraged passengers to respond to the proposals.

The consultation closes on 22 August and the final strategy will be published by end of the year.

[John R]

A very long report, no doubt because of the large number of proposals. It certainly seems more progressive than other RUS^▸ (Route Utilisation Strategy)'s, I suspect because NR^» (Network Rail - home page) recognise that there is more likelihood of funding for these schemes than for those this side of the tunnel. 

[Lee]

Details of ^52m of improvements have been unveiled for the rail network in south Wales by the assembly government (links below.)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7431113.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7431577.stm

A total of ^22m will be spent on a major revamp for Newport station, in time for the 2010 Ryder Cup.

The planned investment includes ^30m towards extra carriages on congested services and new platforms, including four at Cardiff's Queen Street station.

Ministers say it will allow for more peak-time commuter services and meet increasing passenger numbers.

The ^30m funding for Cardiff and the valleys is alongside Network Rail's ^200m resignalling project in the Cardiff area.

The assembly government will contribute ^7m towards the Cardiff and valleys programme, with the rest being paid for by the Department of Transport.

Network Rail will pay ^15m towards the Newport refurbishment and the assembly government the other ^7.7m.

The proposals aim to lead to an extra 900 seats at peak times for commuters using the Cardiff and valley services up to 2014.

Afterwards, the proposal aims to put on an extra two trains an hour during peak time on the Taff Vale and Rhymney routes, providing up to an additional 1,200 peak seats an hour.

Ieuan Wyn Jones said of the rebuilding programme for Newport that the station was the "passenger gateway" to both the city and south Wales.

The announcement, which is subject to a feasibility study, comes in the wake of a Network Rail consultation document, proposing improvements over the next decade across Wales.

[Graz]

Cardiff Queen Street can be rather a bottleneck sometimes, with just two platforms serving frequent through services (the other one is for the frequent Cardiff QS- Cardiff Bay trains). good to see investment going towards this station.

[John R]

I agree, but be careful this is all subject to further research. These will all be announced 10 times over before anything happens. The only difference with the WAG^» (Welsh Assembly Government - about) is there's a higher probability that they will happen (but not total - see Merthyr line frequency enhancements).

[Lee]

Severn Tunnel Action Group link on the Wales Route Utilisation Strategy :
http://www.saveseverntunnel.co.uk/draft-timetable.htm

You are invited to give your comments to the Severn Tunnel Action Group ideally before Tuesday 15th July. This is because Railfuture, The Wales Branch of the National Rail Campaigning Organisation have offered to consider to additionally include our response in their formal response to the consultation.

Please e-mail your response to info@saveseverntunnel.co.uk

The Arriva Trains Wales December 2008 Draft Timetable can also be found in the above link.

You are invited to give your comments to the Severn Tunnel Action Group before Tuesday 22nd July to enable them to be considered and included in our response as appropriate.
Please e-mail your response to info@saveseverntunnel.co.uk

Please Note this consultation applies to Arriva Train Wales only and not Arriva Cross Country or First Great Western services.