Media centre

Monday 4 Jul 2005

SOUTH WALES RECEIVES £400 MILLION RAILWAY INVESTMENT

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

Contracts have just been awarded by Network Rail as part of a £400 million investment programme to re-new signalling across South Wales over the next decade (see Notes to Editors).  This is the first major re-signalling project in the area for many years and is also the forerunner for similar large-scale projects in England and Scotland. The programme will be managed directly by Network Rail and carried out in stages, commencing later in the month with the £60 million Port Talbot East Re-Signalling Project – a 22-mile stretch of line running from Llantrisant to Baglan. Works are due for completion by October 2007. Robbie Burns, Network Rail’s Western Route Director, said: “This is an exciting time for the railway in South Wales, particularly with the recent completion of the new Vale of Glamorgan line and extensions to platforms on the Aberdare line. “We will make every effort to ensure that there will be as little disruption to rail passengers and the local community whilst we continue with our commitment to improve the local railway.” Equipment commissioned in the 1960s will be replaced with modern signalling technology, including new signals, signal structures, control systems and track circuits.  Level crossings will also be upgraded across South Wales, as well as improvements to the track layout.  The Port-Talbot East project will be followed by schemes at Newport (this will be carried out in two stages), Cardiff and Port Talbot West over the next ten years.