Transport for Wales announces new trains on busiest services
Under the latest timetable change, which comes into effect on Sunday, May 18, 70 per cent of all routes will be operated on new trains, according to TfW.
The new timetable affects all Wales and Borders routes and passengers are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new schedule so as not to get caught out.
This summer will also see the Penarth and Coryton lines operated by new trains.
Colin Lea, planning and performance director at Transport for Wales, said: "We're pleased to be delivering a number of small but important changes across our network that we think will make a big difference for customers.
"Some later services on busy routes, longer trains in the summer to holiday destinations, and the continued rollout of brand-new trains as part of an £800 million investment by the Welsh Government are among the key highlights.
"It's always important to check your journey details, even if it's a train you catch day in, day out, so please don't get caught out.
"The same applies to those making connections as other operators may also be making changes that could affect your journey."
READ MORE:
Also from May 18 combined tickets for the T6 - Swansea to Brecon - and T10 - Bangor to Corwen bus routes will also be available, allowing passengers to travel to and from Ystradgynlais or Brecon using a connected rail ticket with stops at Neath.
Similarly, those on the Bangor to Corwen T10 route will be able to travel from Capel Curig and Corwen using a combined ticket with connections at Bangor.
New integrated routes
From May 18, customers can purchase combined rail and T6, as well as rail and T10 tickets through TfW retail channels.
This will allow seamless travel between these routes and the rail network.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Wales Online
'No trees to pee behind' The most baffling Tripadvisor reviews of Wales' best attractions
'No trees to pee behind' The most baffling Tripadvisor reviews of Wales' best attractions Turns out, not everyone is as enchanted by Wales as we are..... One unimpressed TripAdvisor reviewer moaned that Yr Wyddfa didn't come equipped with 'handrails' (Image: Tony Harnett ) Wales may have jaw-dropping mountains, golden sandy beaches and a ludicrous amount of castles, but apparently, not everyone is as enamoured with Cymru as we are. While some visitors are left speechless by the sunrise at Yr Wyddfa, or impressed with our dreamy coastlines and top attractions, others find the experience lacking in very specific ways. One unimpressed TripAdvisor reviewer moaned that Yr Wyddfa didn't come equipped with 'handrails,' as if the highest peak in Wales were a leisure centre stairwell. Over in Burry Port, a visitor declared the lighthouse was 'not worth the trouble to come and view', presumably having hoped for something more Vegas and less Victorian. And at a perfectly innocent Welsh café, a disgruntled diner wrote: 'I've tasted better food in prison.' Yes, Wales might be heaven for hikers and a gift to photographers, but to the online reviewing masses... we're gonna have to do better. Here are some of the funniest and most unhinged reviews of Wales we've spotted on TripAdvisor. Article continues below "There are no trees or bushes to pee behind" - Yr Wyddfa Describing it as "an athlete-only" walk, one unenthusiastic reviewer struggled to get to the summit and said: "I wished there were handrails." (Image: Getty Images ) A trip to the summit of Wales' highest mountain is on the bucket list for many across the world. Its epic panorama of Eryri National Park has garnered mostly positive reviews on TripAdvisor; however, not everyone was impressed. Describing it as "an athlete-only" walk, one unenthusiastic reviewer struggled to get to the summit and said: "I wished there were handrails." One reviewer was clearly traumatised by their ascent to the summit: "You will fear for your life many many times." Yikes. Another annoyed hiker rated the mountain as poor because it wasn't quite what they expected, and there was nowhere to hide behind if nature calls. They wrote: "Don't expect what they tell you in the brochures and take your own life into your own hands; it's not for the faint-hearted. Also, don't expect to be able to use the loo, there are no trees, bushes, or rocks to hide behind." Perhaps the Welsh Government could consider installing an escalator, a few privacy screens, and a Pret halfway up, just to keep the TripAdvisor crowd happy. "I have better plants in my own greenhouse.' - National Botanic Garden of Wales Another reviewer simply titled their review the 'Poor Man's Eden Project.' (Image: Media Wales ) For many TripAdvisor reviewers, a trip to Wales' National Botanical Gardens in Llanarthney has been described as colourful, informative, and a tranquil setting to reconnect with nature. But for one reviewer, a trip to her back garden is far more exciting, as they said: 'The main dome was very boring and nothing special in there at all. I have better plants in my own greenhouse.' Clearly, the National Botanic gardeners should visit this reviewer's greenhouse and take notes, if they can handle that level of horticultural excellence, of course. Another reviewer simply titled their review the 'Poor Man's Eden Project.' They were the most unimpressed with the café offerings, though, writing: "I've tasted better food in prison." "Very steep for no reason" - Moel Famau 'Very steep for no reason,' (Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live ) 'Very steep for no reason,' complained one reviewer of Moel Famau, seemingly shocked to discover that mountains aren't flat. 'Maybe they can level it off at some point,' they helpfully added. No doubt the Welsh Government will prioritise that just as soon as they've finished making Yr Wyddfa less "windy". "Too much coastline for my liking" - Millennium Coastal Path "Too much coastline for my liking" (Image: Llanelli Star ) Apparently, the 13 miles of scenic coastlines found at the Millennium Coastal Path were a "bit too much coastline" for one nervous TripAdvisor reviewer who added: "Too much coastline for my liking, afraid of water so found I couldn't appreciate the natural beauty of the place." Another review said that it was comprised of "just a few sand dunes, and there did not seem to be anything there." Too much coastline, water and sand dunes? You could swear these people have never clapped eyes on a beach before. Back to the city with you! "Guarded by cows" - Paxton Tower "Guarded by cows" (Image: ©National Trust Images ) Built in honour of Lord Nelson, Paxton Tower in Llanarthney is a Grade II listed building overlooking much of the Tywi Valley. However, one TripAdvisor reviewer found that the 300-year-old neo-Gothic tower had one significant and unexpected drawback... cows. The nervous visitor found this out the hard way and entitled their review: "Guarded by cows." They went on to say: "To get to the tower, you have to walk through a field of cows. I've never liked walking through a field of one standing right next to the swing gate. "So that was it, I took a photo of the tower from across the field." We're so sorry to disappoint our snap-happy tourists with inconvenient livestock. We'll do better. "Is that it?" - Buryport Lighthouse "Is that it?" (Image: Mirrorpix ) Built in the mid-1800s when Burry Port was one of the main coal-exporting ports in the area, the lighthouse has remained a focal point for the town for the past 200 years. But it didn't impress one visitor who rated it with two stars on TripAdvisor and said: "Theres a plaque on the wall of this lighthouse, circa 1996, which gives information about what they did 23 years ago. I haven't ever seen a lighthouse this small or this insignificant, not worth the trouble to come and view." Harsh? Maybe. But if you were expecting a towering beacon visible from space, this is not the lighthouse for you, friend. "Left with a very sad toddler" - Zip World Penrhyn Quarry "Left with a very sad toddler" (Image: Zip World ) The world's fastest zip line was not impressive enough for one disappointed child as a reviewer read that they had left the top attraction with a "very sad toddler". Presumably that was after being informed that, no, you can't strap a three-year-old to a 100mph zip line. Very "I would like to speak to the manager vibes" going on here. "You c an see it all from the car" - Aberystwyth Castle "You can see it all from the car" (Image: Bristol Post ) We're not sure what people expect from a 13th-century ruin, but one reviewer was less than impressed with the Grade I listed Edwardian fortress, proclaiming, "There's nothing there. In fact, Aberystwyth was a depressing dump." Another seemed surprised that "the walls are all blimming broken!" Shocking for an ancient castle, perhaps we could get Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen to come and take a look at this obvious fixer-upper. "Seen one duck seen them all" - Llanelli Wetland Centre "Seen one duck seen them all" (Image: Wales Online ) A school trip to Penclawydd was a rite of passage for many who've grown up in the area, and the wetland centre boasts around 450 acres of land, but it still wasn't enough to impress one visitor who has grown tired of repetitive wildfowl. "Seen one duck seen them all - I can't believe they have the nerve to charge £8.70 per adult to look at ducks." Heaps of scenic wetlands, conservation work, and rare bird species and yet not a single tap-dancing mallard to justify the cost. Honestly, what were they expecting at a wetland centre? Flamingos in tophats? A drive-through safari? Another TripAdvisor user was also enraged by the bird offering: "We saw only one bird which was a very friendly, impressive swan. We should have gone to Folly Farm." Yes, there are many friendly, impressive swans at Folly Farm. Definitely go and befriend them; swans typically love that. "Pure nonsense" - Cardiff Castle "Pure nonsense" (Image: Matthew Horwood ) It seems the crowning glory in the Welsh Castle doesn't always live up to the public's exacting standards. "Pure nonsense", moaned one reviewer, claiming that the nearby McDonald's was the highlight. Ouch. Another was most unimpressed with scaling the perimeter, grumbling, "All you get at the top is a view." Yes, nothing like a castle grounds vista to ruin a perfectly good day out. I hope they were issued a refund. Article continues below
Wales Online
18 hours ago
- Wales Online
Chancellor Rachel Reeves promises to 'change the future' in Wales visit
Chancellor Rachel Reeves promises to 'change the future' in Wales visit Ms Reeves was visiting Wales in the wake of her decision to allocate Wales £445m for rail projects in her multi-year spending review this week Chancellor Rachel Reeves visits Taffs Well Metro/ Train depot (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Rachel Reeves has defended her government's spending decisions and funding for Welsh rail projects, saying that her government "can change the future" of Welsh rail. The chancellor spoke to WalesOnline as she visited Taffs Well rail depot following her announcement of £445m of funding for Welsh rail projects in Wednesday's spending review. The money will fund a series of much-needed rail projects in Wales, including five more mainline train stations to give tens of thousands of people an alternative to travelling by car. But experts have described the funding as "underwhelming" and have raised concerns that it is not enough to address the historic underfunding, which Ms Reeves herself has recognised. We asked the chancellor, with Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens alongside her, about why that figure was just £445m, whether Wales was being treated unfairly, why she hadn't committed to any of long-term projects and the all-important Railways Bill which is due before Parliament later this year. WalesOnline has been campaigning to end the historic underfunding of the rail network in Wales, which has seen the nation consistently given far less funding per resident for rail infrastructure for generations when compared to England. Article continues below (Image: Marc White / WalesOnline ) Before our interview, Ms Reeves was taken on a tour of the £100m Transport for Wales depot in Taffs Well, just outside Cardiff. While she may be one of the most powerful people in UK politics, she still had to wear an orange high-vis and hard hat along with safety shoes and goggles as she had a look around. She got a first-hand look at the brand-new electric tram-trains which are undergoing testing before they are eventually rolled out on the Core Valleys lines. Ms Reeves sat in the driver's seat of one of the new trains - with Ms Stevens at her side, as she fiddled with the buttons. Ms Reeves asked what new trains actually do and listens as she is told that as well as creating jobs, it is hoped that the new tram-trains will mean quicker and more frequent journeys for those in the south Wales valleys. She also met with apprentices on their last day before they qualify and joked that it's good that if something happens on the trains they use to commute, they can help to fix them, although she is sure "nothing will go wrong". Rachel Reeves with Jo Stevens , Secretary of State for Wales (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) The £445m announced in the spending review is made up of £300m to start work on several projects including five new stations around Cardiff and Newport, and a series of improvement works including at Cardiff West junction measures to improve capacity in north Wales at Padeswood Sidings. Another £48m is going to the Welsh Government to spend on the Core Valleys Lines. And a further £97m will be allocated to develop projects over ten years. When pushed on whether there was more to be done to address the historic underfunding of Welsh rail compared with the rest of the UK, Ms Reeves simply said: "We can't change the past but we can change the future." She added that the funding that Wales has seen so far is a "far cry from what we had when we had a Conservative Government in the UK that wasn't prioritising Wales, wasn't standing up for Wales and wasn't working with the Labour Government here in Wales." Chancellor Rachel Reeves visits the Transport for Wales depot in Taffs Well (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) She defended her government and its spending, saying it was delivering "record" funding for Wales. Ms Stevens also quickly jumped in to describe the effect that the nearly half a billion pounds investment is set to have as "transformational". Here is the interview with Rachel Reeves in full: Rachel Reeves defended her government's spending and said that they "can change the future" of Welsh rail. (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Q: I imagine you're here today after the spending review and the announcement of £445 million going towards Welsh rail. Is there a reason why that figure is just £445 million and can you give any more detail on what that's going to be spent on? RR: Yes, I'm in Wales today after a significant investment into Wales at the Spending Review - a Labour government in the UK working with a Labour Government here in Wales to deliver on the people's priorities. The money, the £445 million, a big investment in railways in Wales, will improve the Core Valleys line, deliver those five Burns stations from the Burns review in full and make improvements with the Cardiff West Junction and Padeswood sidings as well as the level crossing improvements in North Wales to increase the frequency of the trains, to reduce the journey times and to invest in better infrastructure for the people of Wales. Rachel Reeves and Jo Stevens, Secretary of State for Wales (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne ) Q: On that figure, experts have said that perhaps double that would be needed to catch up with the historic injustice that I think you've recognised in terms of Welsh rail. So do you think this number provides the opportunity for Wales to be treated fairly or is there still, as experts are saying, a long way to go to ensure that Welsh rail catches up with the rest of the UK? RR: We can't change the past but we can change the future. Labour has not been in government in the UK for 14 years but in our first budget, and now in our first multi-year spending review, we're putting significant investment into Wales - the record and biggest settlement since devolution for the Welsh government, the investment in rail but also the £118m investment in coal tip safety, which is what the Welsh government asked for - we as a UK Labour government are delivering that. As a result of the devolution settlement we made last year for the Welsh Government, we've also seen NHS waiting lists fall for four months in a row. That's a far cry from what we had when we had a Conservative Government in the UK that wasn't prioritising Wales, wasn't standing up for Wales and wasn't working with the Labour Government here in Wales. The Treasury is providing £300m for five new stations around Cardiff and Newport between 2026 and 2030, and a series of improvement works including measures to improve capacity in north Wales. Another £48m is going on the South Wales Metro. Welsh Transport Secretary Ken Skates has said that almost £100m will be allocated to develop projects over ten years. Q: There's been long-term, multi-billion-pound investments announced for the north of England. Is there a reason why there's maybe less of a commitment for Welsh rail projects? RR: We only came into office last year and in our first budget we provided a record settlement for Wales and we have then followed that up with an even bigger settlement in the multi-year spending review and on top of that direct investment here in Wales both in rail and in coal tip safety. We are working closely with Jo and the team at the Welsh office and are also working closely with the Welsh Government in Cardiff. We're delivering on the priorities of the people in Wales with this substantial investment which is going to improve journey times, with more reliable services and a big boost for people wanting to access good jobs, paying decent wages at the investment zones and in the major cities. WalesOnline's campaign for fair funding For generations, Wales' rail network has been starved of investment. We've been left with a rail network that is outdated and not fit for the nation's needs. There is no good reason why more money should be spent per resident in England on rail infrastructure than in Wales. We have far less electrified track than England and fewer modern services. We've been campaigning since the start of the year to raise awareness of the two massive opportunities Keir Starmer's government has this year to act. We wanted to put pressure on politicians to do something about it. You can help put pressure on him to do use this historic opportunity by signing WalesOnline's petition on the UK government website calling for fair rail funding for Wales. Very simply, we want people in England and Wales to be treated the same when it comes to rail. We've now had the results of the first of those two massive opportunities. Thanks to the pressure from the Welsh Government, Welsh Labour MPs, opposition parties and ourselves, Rachel Reeves has promised Wales nearly half a billion pounds for rail. There are arguments over whether this in itself is enough, what it will be spent on and what time period it is being spent over. But it is undeniably good news that work can start on some much needed projects. These include five new train stations on the south Wales mainline. Later on in the year, Mr Starmer's government is planning a major bit of rail legislation that will be a once-in-a-generation chance to put in place a mechanism to guarantee fairness in perpetuity. Read more about this here. There are arguments about how this should be done but widespread agreement that things must change. One academic told WalesOnline the Wales always comes at the bottom of the pile and will continue to unless there is full devolution. Another told us there was no appetite in either Cardiff Bay or Westminster for devolution and this lack of ambition was repeating the biggest mistake the Welsh Government had ever made. There are fears that unless there is full devolution, Wales will suffer every time the UK government cuts spending but protects major projects in England, as is happening right now. However the Welsh Government believes fair funding can be delivered without full devolution, which is does not want. And the head of a passenger body told us he didn't care who got the money as long as they did a good job with it, adding more cash could make a huge difference. Article continues below JS: It's going to be transformational. You're talking about nearly half a billion pounds being invested with most of it over the space of three to four years. We'll be going as fast as we can to deliver these projects in a way that will transform people's lives. They will see change on their doorstep just like here in Taffs Well people are seeing change from the investment into the core Valleys lines and investment into new trains. We're going to get people around Wales quicker, more often. Going into new jobs, meeting friends and family, our tourism destinations, this is going to make such a difference. Q: In terms of the Railways Bill coming later this year, what would you like see in that to ensure Wales gets the investment it needs, going forward? JS: Well the Chancellor has just announced a significant historic investment this week. Part of that money will be going on to developing further projects after the period of the spending review so that tells you about our commitment to Wales. As I say, we're delivering as quickly as we can, as fast as we can, as widespread as we can and people can look forward to seeing the benefits of a Labour government in Westminster working with the Welsh Labour government to make those infrastructure changes in Wales. We've had very little for the last 14 years, this week we started to make a difference.
Wales Online
21 hours ago
- Wales Online
There were supposed to be 800 homes, shops and a school off this M4 junction but there's nothing
There were supposed to be 800 homes, shops and a school off this M4 junction but there's nothing An outline planning application was submitted for the village of Pentre Felindre in 2018 - there's still nothing there The Parc Felindre site It was meant to be the ideal location - right next to the M4 with superb links east and west. Eight hundred homes were expected to be built there. But, seven years on, it's still just an empty space, albeit with its own junction off the motorway. Plans for what had been dubbed Pentre Felindre sit firmly on the drawing board with no confirmed date when anything might happen. The site, next to a business park north of the M4 near Felindre and Tircoed, was identified as one of several "strategic development areas" for growth in Swansea Council's local development plan (LDP). Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here The LDP, which took years to develop before being approved by the Welsh Government and adopted in February, 2019, included the Welsh Government's outline planning application for Pentre Felindre submitted in the summer of 2018. Along with 800 homes, the proposed village was set to feature a primary school, two shops, a village hall, recreational spaces, and road improvements. Additionally, 20% of the housing units were intended to be affordable. The grand plan for Pentre Felindre was to create a "vibrant and sustainable new village with a strong sense of community, where people would choose to live, work and spend their leisure time, and which would complement the plans for the adjoining strategic employment site". Article continues below The original timeline envisaged that the massive development of 800 homes would commence around 2020-21, with completion by 2028-29. However, Parc Felindre, the neighbouring employment area, has fallen short of expectations in drawing businesses despite significant marketing efforts, apart from the relocation of delivery firm DPD to the site. Issues like areas prone to flooding, a high-pressure water main, electricity pylons and proximity to noise from the M4 were noted by planning experts, yet these types of challenges are not unheard of in the process of developing housing projects on previously untouched land. The site of Felindre's former tinplate works, north of the M4, pictured in 2014 (Image: Copyright unknown ) The disruptions caused by the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021 put a pause on numerous developments, including this one. In December, 2021, the Welsh Government revealed that it was actively working alongside the council to hash out a masterplan for Pentre Felindre, while also commissioning fresh reports to reassess the impediments pertaining to the site. Pentre Felindre could see enhanced transport links with the M4, and there remains a possibility for local inhabitants to access a proposed railway station on the Swansea District Line at Felindre. This prospective development was put forward in 2019 by the then Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns. At that time, Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart expressed conditional support for the £20 million station scheme, insisting it must not affect High Street station's service frequency in Swansea and should come as part of extensive transport improvements throughout the vicinity. Enthusiasm is building in favour of a new train station in Felindre, along with additional proposed stations north of the county on the cargo-conveying Swansea District Line. In 2023 a Transport for Wales representative informed councillors that launching new stations on this line represented the "top unfunded" rail initiative in Wales from his perspective. This ambition is integrated into a broader vision known as the Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro, which would rely heavily on central Government financial backing. The Local Democracy Reporting Service sought an update from the Welsh Government concerning Pentre Felindre. A Welsh Government spokesman said: "Swansea Council consulted on their replacement LDP Preferred Strategy which closed 18 April this year. As part of that process this site was submitted as a candidate. "It will now be for the council to determine whether the site is/is not allocated in the Deposit LDP later this year/early 2026, setting out clear reasons to support a decision either way. We asked if there was something about this site in Felindre which was proving problematic, for example pylons/sustainable transport links? The spokesman added: "Work assessing the site's development constraints and opportunities has now completed. Taking these assessments into consideration, together with our Joint Venture partners Swansea Council, we are currently considering potential delivery models for the site, and hope to be able to make a decision on its future shortly. Article continues below We also questioned would this new development in Felindre be more viable if there was a train station on the Swansea District Line at Felindre? The spokesman said: "The availability of good public transport, including a potential Metro station, all improve the site's connectivity by different modes of transport."
