Network Rail has unveiled a £200m modernisation plan to boost the rail transport in Cardiff and on the Valley Lines service.
The plan to transform the local rail network by 2015 includes the electrification of Valley Lines and a new platform at Caerphilly station.
Network Rail has said the improvements will transform Cardiff Queen Street station and allow an extra 600 seats during rush hours to cope with the annual 8% increase in passenger demand.
Mike Gallop, principal programme sponsor for Network Rail, said: “This scheme will take the railway in Cardiff and South Wales Valleys into the next frontier.
“The benefits of this scheme are huge as it lays the fundamental building blocks to unlock the untapped potential of this area, whilst paving the way for electrification and meeting a growing demand. Wales relies on rail – a reliable and robust railway forms a key pillar for a healthy economy and this scheme will help Wales continue to thrive.”
Caerphilly’s Labour Assembly candidate Jeff Cuthbert welcomed the improvements.
He said: “I very much welcome this extra investment by Network Rail, including the commitment to build an extra platform at Caerphilly station. Anyone who travels along the Rhymney Valley line on a regular basis knows that the thing it needs most of all is extra capacity to reduce delays and passenger congestion.
“What Network Rail needs to do now is work closely with the Welsh Government and Arriva Trains Wales to ensure that more carriages are delivered for the line, while we begin work on the proposed new station at Energlyn as soon as possible, as well as the promised disabled access improvements at Ystrad Mynach.”
Ron Davies, Plaid’s Assembly candidate, has previously welcomed plans for electrification. Last month the UK Transport Secretary announced in Westminster a commitment to work with the Welsh Assembly Government on electrification.
Following that statement, Mr Davies, who is also a Caerphilly County councillor, said: “Creating a modern transport system is essential to the future economic growth of the Valleys, and to meet our challenging carbon reduction targets.
“Electrifying the Valleys Lines will create a quicker, cleaner and more efficient mode of transport and will allow greater capacity as well. New and modern electric trains will allow us to carry more passengers.”
The scheme will modernise the dated signalling infrastructure to be compatible with electrification and the advanced European Railway Train Management System (ERTMS) respectively.
The existing track layout, built in the1930s, at Cardiff East Junction will also be untangled and extra tracks will also be built on parts of the railway in Cardiff and South Wales Valley.
As well as Caerphilly, new platforms will be built at Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street, Barry, Tir-phil and Pontypridd to accommodate more and longer trains. Extra efforts will also be put in to improve the accessibility and station environment of Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Pontypridd.
The main engineering work will begin by autumn 2011 and is planned to be completed within three years and in time for new trains to be introduced to the Valley area by 2018.
Whilst agreeing with everything both Ron Davies and Jeff Cuthbert says about these improvements to the valley`s railway infrustructure, (whats there to disagree with?)
I would urge both of these local senior politicians to ensure that the widest and most meaningful consulation takes place with the public in areas of these plans where local people are directly effected. Whist it is good for politicains to pontificate, it is for the people effected by the plans to have thier say. Last time round it was only the intervention of residents in Caerphilly town which prevented a public right of way being totally destroyed by Network Rails plans for Caerphilly Station, lets hope the planners and the movers and shakers of these new proposals, including the local Councillors,When the time comes, will ensure a more timely consultation exercise than the previous one, this may save taxpayers and ratepayers money in having to block unacceptable, and unwarrented, precipative action by planners and Network Rail in trying to `railroad` thier plans through before consulting the public.
We have much to thank Councillor Colin Elsbury for in stopping the removal by Network Rail of the footbridge. Their original plan was to remove the footbridge and not replace it. Thanks to Councillor Elsbury's quick actions the removal of the footbridge was stopped using a little know veto under the Highways Act. A new footbridge would be welcome and let's hope Network Rail can find the money.
Andrew of course is wrong.
The last, unacceptable proposals, were halted by the St Martins Independent Councillors Councillor Eddie Talbot and Lee Jones presenting a petition to the council from the towns residents, getting the interest of the press, and then ,ensuring it was considered by the entire town council, The `clause` which eventually prevented Network Rail taking the action to remove the footbridge was highlighted by an officer of the Caerphilly Council`s Planning Department, I have seen the E-mail, and it is disingenuous to suggest one Councillor was capable of stopping the plans in its tracks.
In fact the three ward Plaid Cymru Councillors, including Colin Elsbury, were consulted on the unacceptable proposals a year before they became public, but they did nothing about opposing them at that time, neither did they consult the towns residents, neither did they submit any points of disapproval until the Independent Town Councillors Eddie Talbot and Lee Jones raised the issues when they found out, for the first time, that the Caerphilly Council, under the authority of the Three Plaid Cymru Ward Councillors, including Colin Elsbury James Fussell and Steve Kent had made a court application to `remove the right of way over the station bridge` It was only at this point that the three Plaid Cymru Councillor decided they were out of step with the town residents and needed to help the Independent Councillors in thier efforts to stop the Caerphilly council applicationm on behalf of Network Rail, to the Courts.
After which, armed with the planning officers obscure little known VETO, the entire Caerphilly town Council stopped the action.
Not Councillor Elsbury, it would not have been possible for him to have done so. Unless Andrww knows different of course, in which case, tell us all about it!!!!
Being a commuter to Cardiff I can only laud any effort to increase capacity between the Valleys and Cardiff. Often commuters can feel like unloved sardines under the current provisions from Arriva trains, 2 car trains when 4 car trains are needed.
What I don`t understand is the provision itself, about 2 years ago, Heath high level, Lisvane and Thornhills platforms were extended, to match up to Queen St, Caerphilly and other stations. I believe this was so that longer 6 car trains could be accomodated and that funding was obtained from the Assembly/Welsh Government. I have yet to see 6 car trains.
The effect of 6 car trains would be to increase capacity by 50% instantly. Further this would negate the need for "an extra platform" at Caerphilly, so no need for a new bridge.
Can Arriva trains Wales explain why they still subject their passengers to unacceptable crowding when they already have the solution but are not prepared to act upon it?
Good to see improvements in the platforms at Caerffili station, this town was once known as the 'Swindon of Wales' such was the importance of rail to the town.
Regarding the bridge, a valuable pedestrian route between the south of the town and its centre, the attempt to close it was entirely due to a 'stopping up order' which originated with the Plaid Cymru council, of which all three ward members are a part. Nothing was done until Independent town councillors called a press connference to campaign against this. This, despite the three Plaid Cymru councillors knowing full well what their administration planned.
The people of Caerphilly town can thank Independent Councillor Eddie Talbot for saving the footbridge over the railway at Caerphilly Station.
I was one of the many residents who attended a site meeting of residents, called by Councillor Talbot, at the bridge when we saw the Council`s notice to `stop it up` and it said they were going to court to do so. The press were there at the meeting, and Plaid Cymru Councillor James Fussell gatecrashed it without invitation, (pity he and his two ward colleagues did not feel the need to consult residents untill Eddie took that initiative), from the residents to do so, he said nothing, except to castigate Councillor Talbot for assisting the residents, and he only did that under his breath.
The two town Independent Councillors saved this bridge so far as I and most of the residents of the town are concerned
and I have every confidence that they will do so again should the need arise. Well done to Councillor Talbot and councillor Lee Jones.