Transport for Wales to install new technology at seven railway stations

Nation.Cymru staff

New technology is to be installed at seven railway stations across the Wales and borders network over the next three months.

Transport for Wales (TfW) will carry out the upgrades at Cardiff Queen Street, Neath, Swansea, Rhyl, Chester, Shrewsbury and Newport between August and October.

The work will include modernised ticket barriers and interactive help points allowing passengers to speak to staff using two-way video and audio.

Station staff will also be provided with tablet devices which can be used to operate the gates.

TfW says the changes are intended to improve accessibility and make it easier for passengers to get assistance, including when a ticket is rejected by a barrier.

Work will begin at Cardiff Queen Street from August 3 to 7, followed by Neath from August 17 to 21 and Swansea from August 24 to 28.

Rhyl will be upgraded from September 7 to 11, Chester from September 13 to 18 and Shrewsbury from September 21 to 25.

Newport will be the final station, with work scheduled between September 26 and October 1.

Each installation will take around five days, with most noisy construction work due to be carried out overnight where possible.

Ticket checks

The new gates will remain out of service while they are installed and tested, but TfW says passengers will still be able to use the stations as normal.

Staff will carry out manual ticket inspections while the barriers are unavailable.

Passengers using pay-as-you-go contactless payments are being reminded to tap in when starting their journey and tap out when leaving.

Failing to tap out can result in an incomplete journey charge, although TfW says missing journey details can be corrected through its app or online accounts.

Video Help Points

The new Video Help Points will allow passengers to speak directly to staff when assistance is required and will also provide access to self-service information.

They are intended to support remote operation of ticket gates as well as providing assistance to passengers at stations.

Station Control Units, consisting of tablet devices mounted near the gatelines, will meanwhile give staff another way of controlling the barriers alongside TfW’s existing mobile system.

Darren Haynes, head of customer operations at TfW, said: “This investment across seven of our major stations will significantly improve daily station operations and enhance the passenger experience.

“These updates are designed to make every journey smoother while equipping our frontline colleagues with modern tools to ensure our stations remain welcoming and accessible for everyone.”

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