Transport for Wales to review train timetables

IN THE WAKE of the Covid pandemic and its far-reaching impacts on travel behavior, Transport for Wales (TfW) has announced a comprehensive review of all train timetables. The move comes after what has been described as “massive” changes to travel patterns, as more people work from home and choose weekend commutes over the traditional weekday rush.

TfW’s chief executive, James Price, addressed MPs and acknowledged that the current timetables are no longer suitable for the evolving demands of commuters. The paradigm shift brought about by the pandemic has seen a decline in the number of passengers using buses and trains, leading to challenges for TfW in maintaining services without compromising their efficiency.

Speaking at the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, Mr. Price played down concerns that the review might result in fewer services. He highlighted the unanticipated poor performance of services between north and south Wales, especially on the Welsh Marches line. However, he emphasized that this particular route remains the only profitable service under TfW’s ownership.

The Committee raised concerns about the subpar services and disruptions faced by passengers due to the ongoing South Wales Metro work. Some constituents even faced disciplinary action from their employers for chronic tardiness to work, a situation that TfW is keen to address.

In response to questions from MPs, Mr. Price affirmed that the

Welsh government has been providing additional funding to the bus sector to maintain services in the face of reduced passenger numbers. He assured that an announcement on TfW’s plans for future services would be made shortly.

One of the key questions directed at Mr. Price was regarding the feasibility of hourly services between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury by March 2024. He acknowledged that some plans might need to be postponed due to constraints posed by the availability of trains and the capacity of Network Rail, which operates and maintains most of Wales’ track.

Mr. Price justified the timetable review, explaining how the pandemic had dramatically altered travel patterns. The existing timetables, designed years ago with a different work culture in mind, no longer suit the current landscape where working from home and weekend commuting are increasingly prevalent.

“We’ve seen our pinch points completely moved. So we’re reviewing all of that,” he stated.

Despite acknowledging the Welsh Marches line’s recent struggles, Mr. Price expressed optimism that performance would improve. He attributed the issues to the temporary withdrawal of Class 175 trains for safety checks, leading to the use of inferior trains with reduced capacity and slower speeds. He assured the Committee that the return of the Class 175 trains had brought the service closer to acceptable levels, and TfW’s ambition was to achieve excellence in its operations.

The Welsh Marches line, surprisingly, is the only line that currently generates profits for TfW. Mr. Price noted that this financial success allows the organization to cross-subsidize other services and invest in the improvement of less lucrative lines.

While TfW is undertaking a significant upgrade of the Valleys lines network, costs have escalated from over £260 million to a staggering £1 billion. Mr. Price attributed the cost overrun to factors such as inflation, the pandemic’s impact, and unforeseen infrastructure constraints.

Amidst concerns about the disruptions caused by the upgrade, Mr. Price reassured MPs that most of the disruptive work had been completed. He expressed hope that people would soon be able to resume using the Valleys lines without further interruptions.

Commenting, Welsh Conservative Leader Andrew RT Davies MS, said: “The change in timetables being proposed by the TFW CEO are concerning, the service’s record on late trains is dreadful, with only 64% of trains arriving on time on the Wales and Border Lines. I and many users will be concerned that a timetable change will ultimately lead to fewer services being offered.

“The Labour Government has failed to ensure that there is a reliable public transport system in Wales.

Considering their plans to punish motorists by grinding the traffic flow to a halt with their looney 20mph speed limit roll out and their banning of new road buildings, they must ensure public transport is a viable alternative.

“Labour themselves appear to be completely out of answers, with customer satisfaction still low, the people of Wales deserve a public transport system that benefits them, not a scaled back service that continues to be late.”