Transport for Wales have a web page that gives their latest update on plans. For us the area is Borders and this below is what they are saying today. The headline is the new trains to replace the 175s in 2023, but otherwise, there are not any exciting promises for us, and notably nothing about the replacements for the clapped out 150 and 153 sets.
The Association has plenty to do.
You can view the TfW site here.
What it means for the Borders
As part of our commitment to the Borders, we will:
- Introduce new two and three-car new diesel multiple units (DMUs) for the Milford Haven to Manchester service by 2023.
- Create a true intercity experience on the North-South long-distance services, bringing 12 newly refurbished Mark IV carriages into use on Cardiff to Holyhead services via Shrewsbury and Chester.
- Invest in Chester Station in 2028.
- Introduce a new Community Rail Partnership on the Crewe to Hereford line. Three Community Rail Partnerships will be supported by the recruitment of a new Community and Stakeholder Manager and eight Community and Customer Ambassadors.
- Introduce new and reduced fares between Shotton and Chester (reducing seven-day Season tickets in January 2020) and Leominster-Shrewsbury.
- Provide ticket machines at more stations.
- Introduce a pay-as-you-go facility for users of our app from April 2021, finding the lowest available fares.
Train service improvements include:
- Delivering the North East Wales Metro by increasing frequency on the Wrexham-Bidston line to 2 trains per hour (tph) from December 2021, with fully refurbished metro trains.
- Introducing a 1tph service between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street in May 2019.
- Introducing a new Liverpool to Llandudno and Shrewsbury service (1tph) and Liverpool to Cardiff service (1 train every 2 hours), and a consistent 1tph between Cheltenham and Cardiff by December 2022.
