World News – GB – Transport for Wales rail services ‘set to be nationalized’

css-14iz86j-BoldText {font-weight: bold;} Responses have been requested regarding reports that the Welsh rail franchise is about to be nationalized

To css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link {color: # 3F3F42;} css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited {color: # 696969;} css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link, css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited {font- weight: bolder; border-bottom: 1px solid #BABABA; -webkit-text-decoration: none; text-decoration: none;} css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link: hover, css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited: hover, css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link: focus, css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited: focus {border-bottom -color: currentcolor; border-bottom-width: 2px; color: # B80000;} @ support (text-underline-offset: 025em) {css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link, css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited {border-bottom: none; -webkit-text-decoration: underline #BABABA; text-decoration: underline #BABABA; -webkit-text-decoration-thick: 1px; text-decoration-thick: 1px; -webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-underline-offset: 025em;} css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link: hover, css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited: hover, css-yidnqd-InlineLink: link: focus, css-yidnqd-InlineLink: visited: focus {- webkit-text-decoration-color: currentcolor; text-decoration-color: currentcolor; -webkit-text-decoration-thick: 2px; text-decoration-thick: 2px; color: Telegraph report # B80000;}} says ministers are set to move Wales and border rail services to the public on Thursday morning

Private company KeolisAmey has been running the Transport for Wales franchise for just two years after taking over it from Arriva Trains Wales

The changes are due to the coronavirus pandemic which has led to a collapse in passenger numbers

BBC Wales understands that the public body Transport for Wales will play a greater role in the provision of day-to-day rail services, including train operations

KeolisAmey started operating Wales and Border rail services in October 2018, after winning a five-year contract worth £ 15 billion

Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative MP for South Wales Central, complained that the decision was ‘getting out of hand’ in the Welsh Parliament

He added: « My region has traditionally had one of the highest rail uses in the country, and there will be a number of questions that ministers will need to answer to allay concerns »

Helen Mary Jones, Transport spokesperson for Plaid Cymru, called for « urgent clarification and a statement to Senedd » on any plans to transfer rail operations to Transport for Wales – as well as the financial implications of such a decision

Professor Stuart Cole, professor emeritus of transport at the University of South Wales, said nationalizing rail services in Wales made sense

« The Welsh government was already subsidizing Transport for Wales services to the tune of £ 230million out of a total cost of £ 360million, » he said

« The move will make it easier for the Welsh government to achieve its long-term goal of developing a fully integrated transport service for Wales »

A Welsh government spokeswoman said: « The Minister for the Economy, Transport and North Wales will announce a series of measures tomorrow to protect services for rail travelers, maintain jobs and maintain the momentum of the metro project, in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic « 

A new business model for Welsh Railways to be announced

KeolisAmey should always be involved in the provision of services and will retain responsibility for the track

Passengers are unlikely to experience much of a difference, although there is always a risk of disruption in the event of a significant change in operations

The problem of what to do with rail services, which lost money due to the collapse in passenger numbers during the pandemic, has been a major issue in the industry for many months and across the UK

There had been discussions on whether English operators would « hand over the keys » to effectively force the re-nationalization of the railways

However, operators in England have reached a deal with the UK government which provided for an extension of emergency funding put in place to deal with Covid

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Nationalization, transport for Wales rail services, Welsh government, rail transport, rescue