Transport for Wales will start work on the 3rd August 2020 to move forward plans to open the South Wales Metro.
The Metro will open a range of jobs, business and education opportunities.
As part of the £750m Metro investment, TfW will begin work on the railway lines through South Wales.
Earlier this year, Transport for Wales completed the transfer of rail assets, known as the Core Valley lines, from Network Rail to Transport for Wales.
TfW is now starting to build the South Wales Metro which will see major infrastructure works including the electrification of over 105 miles of track with station and signalling upgrades along with the construction of five new stations.
James Price, Transport for Wales’ CEO said: “Transport for Wales is absolutely committed to delivering the South Wales Metro and we’ve now moved forward with further transformational works.
“At the start of the year, we opened our Metro Infrastructure Hub at Treforest, as well as starting construction work on our Metro Control Centre at Taff’s Well. We’ve been undertaking surveying and design work across the valley railway lines and are now progressing onto the next phase and transforming the railway lines, starting on 3 August 2020.
“We understand the impact of Covid-19 but will be following all relevant safety advice from the Welsh Government as we push forward with our investment programme.”
Explaining the significant development work ahead, James continued: “This is a once-in-a-generation project and through building the South Wales Metro we hope to help regenerate the economy in Wales especially as we enter the covid-19 recovery phase. We now have significant physical infrastructure work to do to overhaul our rail network which was largely built in the Victorian era, to get it ready for our new faster, greener and more frequent train service.
“We hope that the people of South Wales and our neighbours living near our railway lines will be excited by the opportunities the South Wales Metro will bring. I also want to assure them that whilst we have a lot of work to do, we’ll do all we can to minimise disruption caused by the work we’ll be undertaking and that we’ll regularly update them about the progress we’re making as work continues.”
Ken Skates, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, added: “It’s great to see work commencing on the ground to deliver this ambitious scheme. Making it easier for people to travel in the future will ensure communities are better connected while increasing access to social and economic opportunities. The transformation of the Core Valley Lines provides a real opportunity to assist in the economic recovery from Covid-19 through the utilisation of local supply chains to build back better.
“Our investment in Metro systems in the north and the south of Wales is evidence of our commitment to creating a modern transport network that will meet Wales’ future needs.”
Kevin Thomas, CEO Transport for Wales Rail Services added: “It’s a great credit to everyone involved that even when faced with these challenging times we are able to continue our transformational work on Transport for Wales’ rail network. This started with the transfer of the Core Valley Line assets from Network Rail back in March, and is continuing as we progress with complex plans that will deliver the Metro, and all the benefits this will bring to people and local communities.”
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Responses
What is happening to the TfW Class 175 Coradia DMUs used in North Wales, West Wales, South Wales and the Brecon Beacon.
Will Transport for Wales retain the Class 175s or will it be replaced by with the Class 197, Class 230, Class 231 and Class 756. And to cascade the Class 175 to South Western Railway, ScotRail, Northern, TransPennine Express, Great Western Railway or East Midlands Railway.
Do you actually mean Class 398 Stadler Citylink Tram-train vehicles which are to be manufactured for Transport for Wales for the “South Wales Metro”.
As well new rolling stocks including Class 197 DMU CAF Civity, Class 230 DEMU/Hybrid-Battery, Class 231 DMU Stadler Flirt, Class 756 Tri-mode Stadler Flirt and Class 769 Tri-Mode rolling stocks.