KeolisAmey Wales
| Franchise(s) | Wales & Borders 14 October 2018 - 13 October 2033 |
|---|---|
| Main region(s) | Wales |
| Other region(s) | North West England South West England West Midlands |
| Parent company | Keolis Amey |
| Other | |
| Website | www.keolisamey.cymru |
KeolisAmey Wales is a future train operating company that will commence operating the Wales & Borders franchise on 14 October 2018.
History
In October 2016 Abellio, incumbent Arriva, a Keolis/Amey joint venture and MTR Corporation were shortlisted to bid for the next Wales & Borders franchise.[1][2]
In October 2017, Arriva withdrew from the bidding process, followed in February 2018 by Abellio following the collapse of its partner Carillion.[3][4][5][6] In May 2018, the franchise was awarded to KeolisAmey Wales. It will commence on 14 October 2018 and run for 15 years.[7]
Unlike the previous franchise which was awarded by the Department for Transport, the new franchise was awarded by Transport for Wales.[2]
Improvements
There are plans to improve services between 2018 and 2033 as part of the new franchise:[8][9][10][11]
- Introduce new two and three-car new diesel multiple units for Milford Haven to Manchester service by 2023
- Twelve refurbished Mark 4 carriages for the Holyhead to Cardiff Premier Service
- Invest in Chester station by 2028
- Introduction of new and reduced fares on the Shotton to Chester service
- Introduction of Pay as you go facilities for all users by 2021
- Increase Wrexham to Bidston services to 2tph by December 2021 as part of the North East Wales Metro
- Introduction of a new hourly Liverpool to Chester service from December 2018
- Introduction of a new hourly Liverpool to Llandudno and Shrewsbury service
- Introduction of a new two-hourly Liverpool to Cardiff service
- Introduction of a direct Manchester Airport to Bangor
- Hourly Cheltenham to Cardiff services by December 2022
- New DMUs on the Cambrian line during 2022 to replace the Class 158s
- Refurbished Class 170 two-car DMUs on the Heart of Wales line by 2022
- Invest in Carmarthen and Machynlleth stations in 2021, and Llanelli station in 2025
- Provide ticket machines at more stations
- Introduce a new Community Rail Partnership for the West Wales line
- A consistent 1 train per hour (tph) on the Cambrian line from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth
- An additional service every day on the Heart of Wales line from December 2022
- Additional summer Sunday services from May 2023 between Tywyn and Pwllheli – including a new 1tph express service between major centres by 2025
- A first-class service from Swansea to Manchester from 2024
- Replace all Class 142 and 143 by the end of 2019
- Introduce a Central Metro that improves journey times and increases frequency to at least four trains per hour from the head of each using new trains
- Introduce pay-as-you-go for users of smartcards by April 2020
- Eliminate diesel use on the Central Metro lines by 2024.
- Provide ticket machines at all South Wales Metro stations by April 2019
- Build new stations at Loudoun Square, Crwys Road and The Flourish by December 2023 and Gabalfa by 2028 and relocate Treforest Estate station by December 2025
- Introduction of new tri-mode trains between Penarth, Barry and Bridgend to destinations north of Cardiff Central
- A new 1 train per hour (tph) Ebbw Vale to Newport service by May 2021.
- 2tph between Cardiff and Bridgend via the Vale of Glamorgan Line from December 2023
- 4tph throughout on the Rhymney line from December 2023
- 4tph to Treherbert from December 2022
- 6tph to Cardiff Bay from December 2022
- 4tph between Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Cardiff from December 2022
- 1tph between Cardiff and Cheltenham from December 2022
- 4tph between Cardiff and Bridgend (direct, Monday to Saturday) from December 2019
- Introduce the new fleet of diesel multiple units (DMUs) to the North Wales Coast line in 2022
- Invest in Shotton and Wrexham General stations from April 2024
- Invest to co-fund new station buildings at Blaenau Ffestiniog
Rolling stock
KeolisAmey Wales will inherit a fleet of Class 142, 143, 150, 153, 158 and 175 diesel multiple units, Class 769 bi-mode multiple units and Mark 3 carriages from Arriva Trains Wales.
Inherited fleet
| Class | Image | Type | Top Speed | Carriages | Number | Routes Operated | Built | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | kph | |||||||
| Locomotive hauled stock | ||||||||
| 67 | .jpg)
|
Loco | 125 | 200 | – | 3 | Premier Service: Holyhead–Cardiff Central
|
1999–00 |
| Mark 3 | .jpg)
|
Coach | 12 | 1975–88 | ||||
|
DVT | 3 | 1988 | |||||
| Diesel multiple units | ||||||||
| 142 Pacer | 
|
DMU | 75 | 121 | 2 | 15 | Valley Lines & Cardiff Local Routes | 1985–87 |
| 143 Pacer | 
|
DMU | 75 | 121 | 2 | 15 | Valley Lines & Cardiff Local Routes | 1985–86 |
| 150/2 Sprinter | .jpg)
|
DMU | 75 | 121 | 2 | 36 |
|
1986–87 |
| 153 Super Sprinter | 
|
DMU | 75 | 121 | 1 | 8 |
|
1987–88 |
| 158/0 Express Sprinter | .jpg)
|
DMU | 90 | 140 | 2 | 24 |
|
1989–92 |
| 175/0 & 175/1 Coradia | .jpg)
|
DMU | 100 | 161 | 2 | 11 | Regional services between North West England, North and South Wales | 1999–01 |
| 3 | 16 | |||||||
| Bi-mode multiple units | ||||||||
| 769 Flex | 
|
BMU | TBC | TBC | 4 | 5 | To be confirmed | 2018[nb 1] |
Future fleet
All of KeolisAmey Wales' fleet is due to be replaced by 2023, half of which will be constructed by Spanish manufacturer CAF at their Llanwern factory.[12]
| Class | Image | Type | Top Speed | Carriages | Number | Routes Operated | Built | In Service | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mph | kph | ||||||||
| Locomotive hauled stock | |||||||||
| Mark 4 | 
|
Coach | 140 | 225 | – | 12 | Services between North and South Wales[13] | 1989–92 | TBC |
| Diesel multiple units | |||||||||
| 153 Super Sprinter[14] |
|
DMU | 75 | 121 | 1 | TBC | Routes to be confirmed | 1987–88 | TBC |
| 170 Turbostar[15] | 
|
DMU | 100 | 161 | 2 | TBC |
|
1999–02 | TBC |
| TBC CAF Civity[16] | DMU | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | 2022–23 | ||
| Diesel-electric multiple units | |||||||||
| 230 D-Train[17] | 
|
DEMU | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | Borderlands Line | TBC | TBC |
| Tri-mode multiple units[18] | |||||||||
| TBC | TMU | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | Services in South East Wales | TBC | 2023 | |
| Tram-trains | |||||||||
| TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | Services to Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil[18] | TBC | 2023 | ||
Notes
- ^ Class 319/4 units were initially built between 1987 and 1988
References
- ^ Rail operator shortlist revealed Welsh Government 12 October 2016
- ^ a b Wales & Borders bidders asked to propose Metro options Railway Gazette International 13 October 2016
- ^ Arriva pulls out of Wales & Borders franchise contest International Railway Journal 30 October 2017
- ^ Arriva Trains Wales drops out of Welsh rail franchise bid BBC News 30 October 2017
- ^ Abellio ends rail bid after Carillion collapse BBC News 23 February 2018
- ^ Abellio pulls out of Wales & Borders bidding International Railway Journal 23 February 2018
- ^ Wales' rail and metro franchise to be run by KeolisAmey BBC News 23 May 2018
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ Barry, Sion. "How Wales' railways will be transformed with new stations, trains and jobs through investment worth billions". WalesOnline. WalesOnline.
- ^ a b "What's Happening in North Wales". Transport for Wales. Transport for Wales. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ "Service Improvements" (PDF). Transport for Wales. Transport for Wales. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ a b "What this means for Mid and South West Wales". Transport for Wales. Transport for Wales. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ "KeolisAmey reveal new-look Wales trains and services". BBC News. BBC News. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ "Service Improvements" (PDF). Transport for Wales. Transport for Wales. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
- ^ a b "What's Happening In South East Wales". Transport for Wales. Transport for Wales. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
