1. Improving the Cardiff and Valley Railway
More Trains, More Seats and a More Reliable Rail Service
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2. Today’s challenges
Aged signalling system that was installed in the 1960s
Inefficient track layout built in the 1930s, causing rail bottleneck and limiting capacity growth
Limited infrastructure capability to meet burgeoning passenger demands: - growth comparable to increase in Manchester and Leeds with 8% growth per annum.
Infrastructure not compatible with electrification
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3. Meeting tomorrow’s needs
Modernise signalling infrastructure with new technology to improve rail performance
Install electrification compatible computerised signalling system to pave way for the upgrades in the area, including the railway on Rhymney Valley
Remodel track layout at Cardiff East Junction to remove bottleneck and enable trains to run bi-directionally
Extra track on “Treforest Curve” (between Cardiff West Junction and Ninian Park, by Canton) to accommodate more trains
Increase frequency of service of City Line for extra trains on Merthyr line
Upgrade freight loop at Cogan for passenger trains to improve delivery reliability
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4. Meeting tomorrow’s needs
Create four through platforms at Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central stations to enable more Valley services to run.
Extra bay platform at Cardiff Queen Street to facilitate more Valley services by accommodating the shuttle service to Cardiff Bay
Extra bay platforms and tracks at Barry, Pontypridd, Caerphilly and Tir-phil to allow more trains to run more frequent services from Cardiff
New station entrances at the south side of Cardiff Central and at Cardiff Queen Street, associated with the new platforms
New lifts at Cardiff Central, Queen Street and Pontypridd
Ramps at Tir Phil station
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5. A major transformation
CANTON DEPOT
Newport
Bridgend
Radyr
Cardiff
Central
Queen
Street
Ninian
Park
Grangetown
Cogan Jcn.
Cardiff Bay
Bridgend (via Vale of Glamorgan)
Rhymney
Landough Loops
Penarth Curve South Jcn
Penarth Curve East
Penarth Curve North
Penarth
Note.
Not to scale and not all points and crossings, and sidings shown for clarity.
Cadoxton
Barry Jcn.
Barry Island.
Cardiff Central: extra platform and track to serve the Valleys services and improved station south entrance
Doubling Treforest Curve
Cogan freight loop: improved for passenger trains use
Barry Town station: extra platform and track
Rhymney Valley: new bay platforms and track at Caerphilly and
Tir-Phil
Increase City Line frequency
Canton Depot: Extra depot access/egress
Pontypridd: New bay platform and turnback facilities
Cardiff Queen St: Improved station entrance, extra platforms and tracks
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6. A better performing railway
33% boost in infrastructure capacity along the Central corridor, allowing a total of extra four trains per hour to/from the Valley area to run from/to Cardiff
Longer platforms to enable 6-car trains to operate and potentially increasing seat capacity by a further 50%
Improved accessibility and station environment at Pontypridd, Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Tir-Phil
Improved reliability to rail service with a more robust rail infrastructure
More cost-efficient to operate the railway
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7. Robust delivery strategy
Aberthaw to Cowbridge Rd (2013)
Bargoed
Rhymney
Rhymney to Queen St (2013)
Barry to Ninian Park/Radyr (2014)
Ystrad Mynach
Cwmbargoed
Marshfield to Newtown (2014)
Cardiff Central (Christmas 2014)
Coryton
Leckwith to Llantrisant (2015)
Heath
To Pontypridd,
R:C
Radyr
Cardiff :Newport
Port Talbot :Cardiff
R:C
Cardiff Queen Street
Bridgend
SWCC
Fords
Aberthaw
Barry
Cardiff Bay
PSB
Cowbridge
Road
Cardiff Central
Barry
Island
Penarth
To Port Talbot / Swansea
Cardiff Canton Depot
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8. “Hub and Spoke” contract management
Target to award contracts for
Signalling, E&P, Telecoms, Track and Civils (building and signalling) by end of 2011
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9. Optimise delivery; minimum disruption
Planning well ahead
Optimise delivery by building on existing planned work
Joint working with colleagues from Arriva Trains Wales and First Great Western and Freight Operators
Avoid closing the railway during four major events:
RBS Six Nations Rugby
Summer period especially on Vale of Glamorgan and Barry lines
Rugby Autumn Internationals
Festive period leading up to Christmas and the sales afterwards!
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10. A cost-efficient investment
Jointly funded by Network Rail, Department for Transport and the Welsh Assembly Government
More than £200m, combining signalling, track and station improvement work
Working to achieve cost efficiency targets set by ORR
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11. Immediate next steps Tendering for contractors
Maintain support from Welsh Assembly Government, key local authorities and industry stakeholders
Begin detailed signalling design and on-site preparatory work i.e. civil engineering works for equipment bases and track preparatory works.
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12. Our partners
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