Welsh rail services to get £5bn

Rail passengers in Wales are set to benefit from a £5bn funding package which would be used to create the South Wales Metro as well as improve the frequency and quality of service of trains in Wales and along its borders.Up to 600 jobs and 450 apprenticeships will be created over the lifetime of the contract. There will also be £1.9bn invested in improving passengers’ travel experience, including £800m spent on trains to boost overall service capacity by 65 per cent. All trains will be replaced by 2023 when 95 per cent of journeys will be on brand new trains, half of which will be assembled in Wales. The deal also includes £194m to modernise all 247 stations and build four new stations: Gabalfa, Crwys Road, Loudoun Square and the Flourish.The contract to operate and develop the service has been awarded to joint venture KeolisAmey, and is to run from today until 16 October 2033. The company will take over the Wales and Borders rail service from Arriva Trains Wales on 14 October 2018.First Minister Carwyn Jones, with Transport Secretary Ken Skates, announced the new contract at a special event at the Railway Training Centre at Coleg y Cymoedd, Nantgarw, accompanied by Keolis president Jean-Pierre Farandou and Amey chief executive Andy Milner.