Other1 min read

£200m taxpayer-funded trains sit barely used for three years

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The delay prevents Transport for Wales from doubling Valley line services to four trains per hour until late 2027. Only 16 of the 36 vehicles have passed mandatory statutory testing, while the remaining 20 units are still waiting for regulatory clearance. Currently, just six trains are running passenger trials, where early reliability issues have prompted temporary service withdrawals.

Key points

  • Promised frequency increases to four trains per hour across the valleys network are delay…: Promised frequency increases to four trains per hour across the valleys network are delayed until late 2027.
  • Software glitches and early reliability challenges have caused temporary withdrawals of a…: Software glitches and early reliability challenges have caused temporary withdrawals of active testing units.
  • Swiss manufacturer Stadler is collaborating with rail officials to resolve teething issue…: Swiss manufacturer Stadler is collaborating with rail officials to resolve teething issues on the battery tram-trains.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Published

A new fleet of publicly funded trains that cost more than £200m still remain mostly unused more than three years after the first one was delivered.

They were initially promised to be fully up and running by 2022 but Transport for Wales' boss has said it might not be until the end of 2027 when their tram-trains will be in full service.

Data obtained by the BBC reveals that less than half of the 36 fleet - what TfW call the "final piece" in their £2bn South Wales Metro project - have passed rigorous statutory testing.

TfW chief executive James Price said he wants trains that work "100% well, 100% of the time" before putting them into full service.

TfW's flagship scheme to transform an old Victorian railway into a turn-up-and-go rapid transit service, similar to the London Underground and Manchester Metrolink, is Wales' single-biggest infrastructure project since devolution in 1999.

It has been hit by delays and rising costs and the Welsh government-owned rail operator has missed numerous self-imposed targets to bring the tram-trains into full service…

Other

More in Other