Following a series of discussions with the Welsh Government, TfW and others, Grand Union has submitted an application for 5 return services a day to operate between Carmarthen and London Paddington with calls at Llanelli, Felindre (new parkway station), Cardiff, Newport, Severn Tunnel Junction and Bristol Parkway. The overall abstraction level from the application is at the lower levels approved by the ORR on a number of previous open access applications.
These services are of significant importance not only for ‘levelling up’, but also to the Welsh economy and the Welsh Government and are planned to begin between Cardiff and London Paddington during the timetable due to start in May 2023. Services will then be extended to Carmarthen approximately 2 years later as suitable new rolling stock becomes available. Services will call at an upgraded Severn Tunnel Junction [Parkway] and the new and privately funded Cardiff Parkway station when it opens. Both are identified within the South East Wales Transport Commission Report [The Burns Report], with Cardiff Parkway being one of a number of new stations recommended and planned by the Welsh Government for the South Wales Main Line and for which planning permission has been approved. When Carmarthen services begin, they will also call at a new Felindre parkway station which will be located adjacent to the M4 Motorway at junction 46. Services to Carmarthen will be operated by new build bi-mode trains that are planned to replace the initial traction to be used between Paddington and Cardiff.
The application sits squarely at the centre of the UK Government’s levelling up agenda as outlined in the final report of Sir Peter Hendy’s Union Connectivity Review by boosting the transport options connecting the UK, with focus on providing high-quality transport infrastructure to communities that have been passed over for investment in previous decades. It is also aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision to build back better from coronavirus by boosting transport connectivity across and between the whole of the UK, as part of ambitions to truly level up across the country.
The initial service between Cardiff and London Paddington will be operated by off lease 125mph rolling stock. This will ensure that Grand Union is part of the important rail recovery process as the UK builds back better in the coming years, providing a vital improvement in Union Connectivity to many parts of south east and west Wales currently relatively poorly served by fast and direct links to London. Private investment, competition and innovation are critical in ensuring the railway comes back stronger following its period of enforced slowdown, as evidenced by the strong recovery on the ECML, and this application shows private sector confidence in the railway’s resurgence.
Grand Union is also redefining the interior of the train, with a new 1st class offering and a significant improvement in seating quality and luggage space in standard class. Additionally, Grand Union is looking at the various technologies that can be installed on trains to inspire further passenger confidence. In particular, the use of UV in air conditioning systems is being rolled out by a number of operators across Europe and elsewhere to reduce viral and bacterial risks and is an issue that Grand Union is discussing with providers and stakeholders.
As well as the service introduction, alongside developing plans by others, Grand Union will be investing in infrastructure improvements by building a new parkway station at Felindre and investing in Severn Tunnel Junction Station where we will increase parking, give direct access from the adjacent M4 motorway and improve passenger and staff facilities to a standard appropriate for use by Intercity trains. This will further boost and support the plans currently under evaluation by the Welsh Government for Severn Tunnel Junction station.
Operation of this service will attract the new Infrastructure Cost Charge introduced by the ORR for PR18 and represents a significant increase in track access revenue for Network Rail, a charge not paid by franchised/concession operators. This charge was introduced in line with the expectations of the Secretary of State for Transport who stated that a precondition for an increase in Open Access is that all operators make a fair contribution to the costs of the network. On a path-by-path basis, track access charges for Grand Union on this route will exceed those paid by the current intercity operator.
Grand Union is requesting a 20 year track access contract to reflect the significant planned investment in the infrastructure and its new build train fleet.
Date of commencement: May 2023 End date: May 2043
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