New platform for Cardiff Central

3 January 2017, 07:24 | Updated: 3 January 2017, 07:26

A new platform's opened at Cardiff Central railway station, designed to help ease congestion.

The brand new platform 8 is located above the modern south-side entrance building at the station and will officially come into use on Tuesday, 3 January 2017 to passengers travelling on the Penarth, Barry Island and Vale of Glamorgan lines. It is all part of the £300m Cardiff area signalling renewals project to modernise the Cardiff and Valleys network. The works are the largest signalling project of its kind to be commissioned on the rail network and will be completed over the festive period.

The track for Platform 8 was installed this year and together with the new signalling system, as well as being bi-directional, it will enable trains to depart westwards from Platforms 7 and 8 simultaneously, improving the operational capacity of the line.

The project also includes upgrading track and signalling on the railway in and around Cardiff Central station, which will help to improve the reliability of the rail services in the area.

Christian Irwin, programme manager for Network Rail Wales, said:

“This brand new platform is designed to ease congestion and is just one of the many elements of this highly complex project to re-model and modernise the railway in South Wales as part of our Railway Upgrade Plan. It will allow the potential for more services to run in the Cardiff area, resulting in an increase in passenger capacity, particularly at peak times.

We would like to thank the general public and rail passengers for their patience and understanding over the upcoming festive period while we complete this essential final phase of this major upgrade project which will deliver significant passenger benefits.”

Lee Paxton, head of projects interface at Arriva Trains Wales said:

“Arriva Trains Wales has worked in conjunction with Network Rail in order to deliver this new facility. The opening of platform 8 will not only introduce a new platform, waiting area and customer information desk but it will also allow the valley lines to operate more efficiently, easing congestion in and out of Cardiff Central.”