The electrification of the Core Valley Lines (CVL) and continued growth in rail and bus passenger numbers are among the highlights recorded in the latest Transport for Wales (TfW) annual report.
Figures show TfW rail revenue increased by 8.9% year on year to £190.3M, continuing a steady increase since 2022/23.
The operator recorded 34.9M rail passenger journeys during the year, with annual growth above the UK rail industry average.
The CVL rail network in South East Wales consists of approximately 170km of track and 52 stations, serving communities in the South Wales Valleys.
Ownership of the infrastructure was transferred from Network Rail to TfW in March 2020 to facilitate a massive transformation project known as the “Welsh Tube”.
The final 800m section between Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay was finished and tested in early 2026, marking the 100% electrification of the 170km network.
Other highlights in the report include the opening of the Walnut Tree Depot at Taff’s Well.
Deputy minister for transport Mark Hooper said: “Transport for Wales is doing an exceptionally good job in improving passenger experiences across Wales, which is a great base for us to build upon to keep moving in the right direction.
“Together, we will continue to build a more integrated and better-connected transport network, delivering reliable, accessible and value-for-money services that improve people’s daily lives across Wales.”
Train performance on the TfW-owned Core Valley Lines improved during the year, with 92.6% of trains running on time to within three minutes, compared with 85.7% in 2024/25.
TfW chief executive James Price said: “Ten years ago, Transport for Wales was an idea on a whiteboard in a Welsh Government office.
“We are now a fully-fledged transport company employing over 4,500 people and running the Wales and Borders rail franchise. We’ve transformed the Core Valley Lines through delivery of the South Wales Metro and we’re operating TrawsCymru and fflecsi buses.
“Most importantly, our passenger numbers are continuing to grow, with our rail passenger numbers up 9.9% on last year while bus passenger numbers on services we manage have grown by over 5%.”
He added: “Over the coming years, we’ll keep building and providing for the people of Wales.”
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Facts Only
* TfW rail revenue increased by 8.9% year-on-year to £190.3M.
* The operator recorded 34.9M rail passenger journeys during the year.
* Rail passenger growth was above the UK rail industry average.
* The CVL rail network consists of approximately 170km of track and 52 stations.
* Infrastructure ownership transferred from Network Rail to TfW in March 2020 for the "Welsh Tube" project.
* The final 800m section between Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay was finished and tested in early 2026, completing 100% electrification of the 170km network.
* Train performance on the TfW-owned Core Valley Lines reached 92.6% on-time performance to within three minutes during the year.
* TfW rail passenger numbers increased by 9.9% on last year.
* Bus passenger numbers on managed services grew by over 5%.
* The operator employs over 4,500 people and runs the Wales and Borders rail franchise.
Executive Summary
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The text reads like a factual summary of an official annual report and subsequent commentary, exhibiting the structured language typical of journalistic reporting rather than pure generative prose.