CONGESTION EASED ON ABERDARE LINE

Wednesday 26 Jan 2005

CONGESTION EASED ON ABERDARE LINE

Region & Route:: | Wales & Western: Wales & Borders; | Wales & Western

A £2 million project to lengthen platforms at five railway stations on the Aberdare branch line has begun. Initial activity will focus on the stations at Cwmbach and Penrhiwceiber where platform ramps will be demolished to allow for the extensions to be fitted. Work at Abercynon North and Aberdare are programmed to start a few weeks later, with Fernhill following. Peter Leppard, Network Rail’s Acting Western Route Director, said: “This project will help reduce congestion currently experienced on some peak-hour services along the Aberdare line, and also when an event takes place at the Millennium Stadium.” The project is costing almost £2 million, with funding through Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council via the Welsh Assembly. Network Rail is undertaking the works. Councillor Eudine Hanagan, Rhondda Cynon Taf Cabinet Member for Better Public Services and Transport, said: "Through partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government we are pleased to announce the start of work on the Aberdare Branch Line. "This investment in our local rail service will increase the route's capacity and allow greater opportunities for Cynon Valley residents to use the railways as an alternative to cars. "Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is committed to improving our transport infrastructure throughout the Valleys and the upgrading of the Cynon Valley Line is an important step forward." Overall completion is programmed for the end of June when four-car trains will be able to operate.

Contact information

Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41

Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries

Journalists
Network Rail press office -Western route
MediaRelationsWestern@networkrail.co.uk

About Network Rail

We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.

Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.

Media centre