R A I LT R AC K - The Railways Archive

Wales
We will expand the
gauge on the route
from London–Cardiff
to allow W10
traffic to be carried
120
10.4 continued
A feasibility study is being prepared by the local authorities
to explore the economics of reintroducing passenger
services to Ebbw Vale and Abertillery.
We will complete the Station Regeneration Programme
in Wales in 2001.So far, we have finished 159 stations and
will complete a further 54 by the end of May 2001.We are
taking opportunities to improve disabled facilities,interchange
facilities and station security.
We have recently completed £3M of station
regeneration works at Holyhead,including major
refurbishment of the roof.
At Llandudno Junction we will spend £1.2M during
1999 on station regeneration works,including provision of
new lifts.
Freight
There is demand for an extended loading gauge to cater for
continental traffic via the Channel Tunnel,and for heavier axle
weights and longer trains as well as new terminals.To meet
this demand, we will work with our industry partners to
provide additional capacity and enhanced capability on key
freight routes within Wales and those linking it with the rest
of the UK and Eire .
We will expand the gauge on the route from
London–Cardiff to allow W10 traffic to be car ried.This will
be achieved in stages,with a target completion in 2005.The
WCML upgrade will provide a similar improvement and will
benefit links to Wales via Crewe. A detailed study has been
carried out into a freight-gauge enhancement to Holyhead.
Following recent completion of the Trans-European
Networks’study for a world-class rail transportation
network for the South West, we will progress a similar study
for South Wales with our partners inside and outside the
industry.This study will benefit both freight and passenger
train operators.
We will increase capacity on the Newport–Crewe route in
1999–2004 to accommodate additional freight traffic, largely
by shortening signal sections and improving passing loops.
We will also lengthen passing loops to cater for longer, 750m
trains.
We will carry out improvements to the Vale of
Glamorgan Line in 1999–2002 to improve capacity and
reliability as an alternative route to the South Wales Main
Line between Cardiff and Bridgend. We will also complete
work to modernise the line from Newport to Ebbw Vale in
1999,improving linespeed,reliability and capacity.
C o n s t ruction of a major European intermodal term i n a l
will begin this year in part n e rship with the We l s h
D e velopment A g e n c y, the Welsh Offi c e, Cardiff County
Council and Freightliner at Wentloog near Cardiff.T h i s
t e rminal will have a secure bonded area, meeting EU
s t a n d a r d s , and capacity to accommodate future grow t h .
S e ve ral terminals have reopened to freight tra f fic in the
past 12 months at Brynteg (coal),Rhymney (steel),
Carmarthen (fertiliser), Pembroke Dock (MoD traffic) and
Neath (aggregates).