Arriva Trains Wales - A

 

Arriva Trains Wales (ATW; Welsh: Trenau Arriva Cymru) was a British train operating company owned by Arriva UK Trains that operated the Wales & Borders franchise. It ran urban and inter-urban passenger services to all railway stations in Wales, including Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street, Newport, Swansea, Wrexham General and Holyhead, as well as to certain stations in England such as Hereford, Shrewsbury, Chester, Crewe, Manchester Piccadilly and Birmingham New Street.

 

In August 2003, Arriva UK Trains was awarded the newly created Wales & Borders franchise by the Strategic Rail Authority, Arrival Trains Wales began operation during December 2003, taking over from Wales and Borders. Following the implementation of the Railways Act 2005 and Transport (Wales) Act 2006, responsibility for the franchise was devolved to the Welsh Government, which worked closely with Arriva Trains Wales during its period of operations.

 

Numerous service changes were made under the company's management, on 6 February 2008, the Ebbw Valley Railway was partially re-opened to passenger services for the first time in over 40 years. Another high-profile change during December of that year was the inauguration of the locomotive-hauled Holyhead to Cardiff Premier Service.

 

In March 2010, Arriva Trains Wales' application to reinstate a direct Aberystwyth to London Marylebone service was rejected by the Office of Rail Regulation due to concerns over its financial viability, as well as the potential severe revenue abstraction from other operators such as Wrexham & Shropshire.

 

In July 2012, the Department for Transport announced that the Cardiff Valley Lines would be electrified, although this ambition would not be substantiated during Arriva Train Wales' franchise period. During the mid-2010s, as the franchise period was nearing its end, tenders were sought for its next operator.

 

Arriva Trains Wales' publicly withdrew from the process in October 2017 despite having been shortlisted. On 23 May 2018, KeolisAmey Wales was selected as the winning bid. On 13 October 2018, Arriva Trains Wales' franchise came to an end, operations being transferred to successor operator KeolisAmey that same day.

 

 

During March 2000, the UK government announced its plans to create a separate Wales & Borders franchise. In October 2001, the two National Express-operated franchises, Valley Lines and Wales & West, were reorganised, after which the new Wales & Borders franchise assumed responsibility for the majority of services in Wales as shown on its map.

 

The services from Birmingham New Street to Chester, Aberystwyth, and Pwllheli operated by Central Trains were also transferred. In October 2002, a shortlist of Arriva, Connex/GB Railways, National Express and Serco-Abellio were invited to bid for the new franchise period.

 

On 1 August 2003, the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the new franchise to Arriva UK Trains. The new franchise was for fifteen years, with performance reviews every five years; Arriva Trains Wales took over the services operated by Wales & Borders on 7 December 2003.

 

The next five-yearly review period concluded on 31 March 2013. On 28 September 2003, the services from Birmingham New Street, Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly to Llandudno and Holyhead, as well as those between Bidston and Wrexham Central and between Llandudno and Blaenau Ffestiniog, operated by First North Western, were transferred to the new Wales & Borders franchise.

 

As a result of the Railways Act 2005 and the Transport (Wales) Act 2006, responsibility for the franchise was later devolved to the Welsh Government. Subsequently, the Welsh Government closely coordinated with Arriva Trains Wales in the management and development of the railway network within Wales. Changes included the introduction of direct services between North and South Wales, and the reintroduction of passenger services on previously freight-only portions of the Vale of Glamorgan Line and Ebbw Vale Line.

 

At its height, ATW operated over a route length of 1691 km, with 253 diesel multiple unit (DMU) cars and 22 locomotive-hauled passenger carriages. Its busiest Welsh stations were Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Newport in South Wales, and Bangor (Gwynedd) and Wrexham General in North Wales.

 

 

Arriva Trains Wales Franchise(s): Wales & Borders