More than 1,000 air-con faults hit Transport for Wales trains amid sweltering heat
Emily Price
More than 1,000 air-conditioning faults have been reported on Transport for Wales trains since April, new figures reveal, as passengers complain of sweltering conditions during recent hot weather.
The figures obtained by the Welsh Liberal Democrats through a Freedom of Information request show 1,018 air conditioning faults were reported between April and August, including 350 in June and another 300 in July.
The number of reported faults surged as Wales entered the summer months, rising from 85 in April to 217 in May and peaking at 350 in June.
894 faults had been closed over the same period, suggesting 124 of the reported faults remained outstanding.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats say they are particularly concerned by the scale of the problem given that many of the trains now operating across the Transport for Wales network are brand new or have only recently entered service.
Transport for Wales told Nation.Cymru the current period of high temperatures had placed “exceptional pressure” on the air conditioning systems of its older trains resulting in some being withdrawn from service.
The operator also pointed out that a single train can generate multiple fault reports, so the number of faults recorded does not necessarily reflect the number of trains affected.
The Welsh Lib Dems warned that persistent problems with air conditioning risked damaging confidence in Welsh rail among tourists visiting during the crucial summer season, including those travelling by train to popular coastal destinations such as Aberystwyth, Pembrokeshire and the north Wales coast.
The party has called on Transport for Wales to urgently clear outstanding air-conditioning faults and for the Welsh Government to demand an action plan from the rail operator setting out how it will improve the reliability of air conditioning across its fleet and prevent passengers being left on overheated trains.
Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds said: “We’ve heard from passengers who have been left sweltering on trains during the recent hot weather.
“More than 1,000 air-conditioning faults in a matter of months simply isn’t good enough, especially when so many of the trains now running on the network are brand new.
“It also risks damaging confidence in our railways at one of the most important times of year for Welsh tourism. Visitors travelling to places like Aberystwyth, Pembrokeshire and the north Wales coast shouldn’t have their first experience of Wales be sitting on a sweltering train with broken air conditioning.
“Transport for Wales needs to urgently clear the outstanding faults, while the Welsh Government must ensure there is a proper plan in place to prevent these problems happening again.
“We need a cross-party approach to preparing Wales for more frequent periods of extreme heat and other impacts of climate change, including learning from other European countries that have far more experience of keeping their transport networks and public services running during prolonged high temperatures.
“Passengers and the wider public need confidence that Wales has the infrastructure and resilience to cope with extreme weather, rather than seeing parts of the country grind to a halt whenever temperatures rise.”
A Transport for Wales spokesperson said: “The current period of high temperatures has placed exceptional pressure on our older trains, particularly their air conditioning systems which has resulted in some being withdrawn from service.
“While our teams work hard to address faults and source replacement components to resolve these issues as soon as possible, it is important to note that a single train can generate multiple fault reports, so the number of faults recorded does not necessarily reflect the number of trains affected.
“Most of the remaining repairs involve our older Class 158 trains, where we are experiencing delays for specialist parts. These older trains will be phased out later this year as part of our £800 million investment in a brand-new, modern fleet, helping to deliver a more reliable service for our customers.
“We apologise to passengers affected by the hot conditions on board our services and encourage everyone to stay hydrated and speak to a member of staff immediately if they feel unwell while travelling.”
The Welsh Government was invited to comment.
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To be fair, imagine how much worse it would be if we were still in the Arriva era with a tired old train fleet entirely constructed in the 1980s and 1990s!
TfW are in the final stages of replacing almost every train in the country (and increasing the fleet size significantly) and all the new trains have effective, modern air conditioning. Hopefully this will be the last year of overheated Cambrian Line trains!