Arriva Trains Wales are under pressure to improve their service after a critical report was released by MPs.
The Welsh Affairs Committee says the number of commuters on trains has increased by 75% in the last ten years but carriages have not been upgraded. The report says this has led to overcrowding for commuters.
The report focuses on the Wales and Borders train franchise. The franchise is managed by the Welsh Government, which has paid Arriva Trains Wales £750m in subsidies over the last five years. The report criticises the original contract awarded in 2003, calling it a “failure”. The contract “did not consider such a large growth in commuter numbers,” leaving Wales “deprived.”
The ageing of trains is also criticised in the report. The oldest train in Arriva’s fleet is forty years old and parts of the Wales and Borders franchise do not offer the same facilities as other trains in the UK, such as refreshments and wifi. The report says the average train age across the franchise is twenty seven years.
The figures behind the Wales and Borders franchise renewal.
The Wales and Borders rail franchise contract will be renewed in 2018 and Arriva Trains Wales face competition from Abellio, KeolisAmey and MTR. The report released on the franchise recognises that the current contract needs updating to meet passenger requirements.
Arriva Trains Wales say they welcome the report, which highlights additional investment they have made that was not part of the original contract. They also admit there is an issue with overcrowding but say that there are no “easy or quick answers to this problem”. Head of the Welsh Affairs Committee David Davies MP says Arriva Trains Wales “have been working quite well with the Welsh Assembly to overcome problems” with the original contract.
