“The drivers and conductors are gobsmacked and dreading the day these trains are put into service”
The metro-style Stadler Class 398 tram-trains that have begun testing do not have any toilets (Image: Transport for Wales)
Brand new electric tram-trains have begun testing on the recently electrified Valleys railway lines. However, unlike the current trains running on the Valley lines, there won’t be any toilets for passengers.
The modern tram-trains are being introduced as part of the £1bn South Wales Metro project – but if passengers are caught short, they will need to disembark to use the facilities on the station platform before catching the next train along.
Transport for Wales (TfW) say that passengers can be confident “a toilet will always be available within a 20-minute journey on our network.” For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
TfW are aiming for passengers on the Merthyr, Aberdare and Treherbert lines to be using the metro-style Stadler Class 398 tram-trains by late 2025, replacing the brand-new Class 756 trains that have been running on the lines since the autumn. The Class 756 trains, which have fully accessible toilets, will then be moved over to the Rhymney and Coryton lines, which are currently undergoing electrification.
Rail staff have previously admitted that many of them are “dreading” new toilet-free Valleys tram-trains being put into service. “The drivers and conductors are gobsmacked and dreading the day these trains are put into service,” said one staff member, who did not wish to be named.
The new Class 756 trains are currently running on the Merthyr, Treherbert and Aberdare lines(Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
“The lack of toilets is something that’s going to become an issue. If someone elderly needs to go, or there are families with small children onboard, are they really expected to get off with all their belongings and then catch the train behind?
“And what about Friday and Saturday nights, for example, when passengers have been enjoying themselves at the pub beforehand? I’m sure you can guess what problems are likely to arise from the lack of onboard loos in that instance.”
However Transport for Wales has said that in order to offer passengers quicker journeys and more capacity, options were limited “for this type of tram-train with toilets onboard.”
The trains have the ability to run on both rail and tram lines and can operate on overhead electrical lines and battery power. Three carriages can carry more than 250 passengers.
They explained that “adding toilets on board would significantly reduce the capacity of the trains.”
As part of the South Wales Metro upgrades, 10 stations on the Valleys lines will be getting new toilets – Abercynon, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil, Tonypandy, Treherbert, Cwmbach, Llwynypia, Merthyr Vale, Penrhiwceiber and Treorchy.
A spokesperson for TfW said: “Transport for Wales is currently testing brand-new, modern tram-trains that will run on electric and battery power as part of the South Wales Metro. We are totally transforming the way in which people travel – the Stadler Class 398 tram-trains will deliver a turn-up-and-go service, quicker journeys and more capacity.
“They have the ability to run on-street as a tram, as well as on the rail network, and there are limited options in the global rolling stock market for this type of tram-train with toilets onboard. They are built to quickly move as many people as possible and adding toilets on board would significantly reduce the capacity of the trains.
“This type of train is used successfully in other cities within the UK and no other Metro system in the UK runs this type of tram with toilets onboard.
“We want to ensure our passengers still have access to toilet facilities when using our network. To do this, we’re installing 10 new, fully accessible toilets at key locations across these lines and upgrading our existing station facilities, so that passengers can be confident a toilet will always be available within a 20-minute journey on our network.”