Media centre

Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales have thanked passengers for their patience during a major railway upgrade in Cardiff and the Valleys delivered over the festive period.

A new platform at Cardiff Central station, designed to help ease congestion, has officially been opened today (Monday, 2 January).

A £7.5m upgrade scheme in Mid Wales improving rail safety will begin in the New Year. Eight rural level crossings in Talerddig, between Newtown and Machynlleth will close in 2017. 

Essential upgrade work to improve the road surface over Pencoed level crossing will be taking place during the Christmas period as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.

Hundreds of Network Rail’s ‘orange army’ will be working day and night in Cardiff and across the Valleys over the festive period to deliver a bigger and better railway for passengers.

Work on the final phase of the Cardiff Area Signalling Renewals project will begin on Christmas Eve. The £300m renewal and enhancement scheme is the largest signalling project of its kind to be commissioned on the rail network and passengers are being advised to plan their journeys ahead over the Christmas and New Year period.

• Network Rail will be investing £103m in improving and upgrading the rail network over Christmas

• Passengers advised to plan ahead as upgrade work means there will be no train services from Paddington main line station between December 24 and 29.

Residents and motorists will benefit from a safer railway crossing at Ufton Nervet in Berkshire as a new bridge was opened on Friday, 16 December to replace the level crossing, as part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan.