Arriva Trains Wales

Arriva Trains Wales was a British train operating company that operated in Wales and the English Marches. It was a subsidiary of Arriva, a multinational public transport company owned by Deutsche Bahn. The company operated passenger rail services in Wales and the English Marches from 2003 to 2018, when it was replaced by Transport for Wales. During its operation, Arriva Trains Wales worked closely with Network Rail, Office of Rail and Road, and Welsh Government to provide rail services to passengers.

● History

The history of Arriva Trains Wales dates back to 2003, when Arriva won the franchise to operate passenger rail services in Wales and the English Marches. The company took over the operations of Wales and West, which was previously owned by National Express Group. During its early years, Arriva Trains Wales worked to improve the quality of its services, investing in new Class 175 trains and refurbishing existing Class 158 trains. The company also collaborated with Transport for London to provide services to London Paddington and worked with CrossCountry to provide services to Birmingham New Street and Nottingham. In 2005, Arriva Trains Wales introduced a new timetable, which included additional services to Cardiff Central and Swansea.

● Services

Arriva Trains Wales operated a range of services, including commuter services in the Cardiff and Swansea areas, as well as longer-distance services to London Paddington, Birmingham New Street, and Manchester Piccadilly. The company also operated services to popular tourist destinations, such as Tenby, Aberystwyth, and Bangor (Gwynedd). In addition, Arriva Trains Wales provided services to major events, such as the Rugby World Cup at Millennium Stadium and the Hay Festival in Hay-on-Wye. The company worked with Great Western Railway to provide services to Bristol Temple Meads and Plymouth, and with Virgin Trains to provide services to London Euston and Glasgow Central.

● Rolling Stock

The rolling stock of Arriva Trains Wales consisted of a range of diesel and electric multiple units, including Class 142, Class 143, Class 150, Class 153, Class 158, and Class 175 trains. The company also operated Mark 2 and Mark 3 coaching stock, which were used on longer-distance services. In 2014, Arriva Trains Wales introduced a new fleet of Class 170 trains, which were used on services to Cardiff Central and Swansea. The company worked with Bombardier Transportation to maintain its fleet and with Alstom to provide technical support.

● Performance

The performance of Arriva Trains Wales was monitored by Office of Rail and Road and Welsh Government. The company's performance was generally good, with high levels of punctuality and reliability. However, there were some issues with delays and cancellations, particularly during periods of bad weather or engineering works. In 2016, Arriva Trains Wales was ranked as one of the top-performing train operating companies in the UK, with a punctuality rate of 92.5%. The company worked with Network Rail to improve the performance of its services and with Transport Focus to gather feedback from passengers.

● Criticism and Controversy

Despite its generally good performance, Arriva Trains Wales faced criticism and controversy during its operation. In 2015, the company was criticized for its handling of a major disruption to services, which was caused by a Network Rail engineering works. The company was also criticized for its decision to reduce the number of services to certain destinations, such as Fishguard and Pembroke Dock. In addition, Arriva Trains Wales faced criticism from RMT and ASLEF unions, which represented the company's employees. The company worked with Transport for Wales to address these issues and with Welsh Government to improve the overall quality of its services.

● Replacement and Legacy

In 2018, Arriva Trains Wales was replaced by Transport for Wales, which is a new train operating company owned by the Welsh Government. The replacement of Arriva Trains Wales was part of a broader plan to improve the quality of rail services in Wales and to provide better value for money for passengers. The legacy of Arriva Trains Wales continues to be felt, with many of its former employees now working for Transport for Wales. The company's former rolling stock has been transferred to Transport for Wales, which is using it to operate services across Wales and the English Marches. The company worked with Keolis and Amey to provide technical support during the transition period. Category:Defunct train operating companies