Train commuters face disruption

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Rail commuters are facing disruption across most of the south Wales valleys network as part of a £13.2m project to extend 42 platforms.

Trains to and from Cardiff and the Rhondda, Cynon and Merthyr valleys are starting and terminating at Taffs Well with a replacement bus service.

Arriva Trains Wales said there had been a couple of teething problems but all services were now running to plan.

The bus shuttles, calling at all stations, will run until Saturday.

They are operating to and from Taffs Well, Pontypridd, Aberdare, Merthyr Tydfil and Treherbert with all the stops in between.

Meanwhile, from Sunday a reduced train service will operate between Cardiff and Treherbert and Aberdare during September.

Commuters Pamela Le Gal (L) and Adele Evans were both affected

The Rhymney valley line is unaffected.

Arriva Trains Wales said the longer platforms would allow extra carriages to be added to the busiest commuter trains and reduce overcrowding.

At Taffs Well station on Tuesday morning, buses were regularly arriving and officials were on hand, advising passenger on the alternative arrangements.

The changes had added around 30 minutes to Pamela Le Gal's journey from Treherbert to Merthyr, where she works as a mental health administrator.

Ms Le Gal, who caught a bus at 0715 BST, said: "It's quite a journey...From Treherbert I had to change at Taffs Well to go to Merthyr at 0848 by bus." Adele Evans, a civil servant commuting into the city from Treforest, said: "It's definitely longer than normal. The Treforest train would have been getting into Cardiff by now."

I had to wait about 45 minutes for a bus. I normally get into work about 8.40am so I'll probably be an hour later Scott Little, commuter

Ralf Patz, a senior lecturer at the University of Glamorgan said: "I catch a bus from Taffs Well to Treforest. I normally would have caught the train eight minutes ago so I'll be about 10 minutes later."

Scott Little, who commutes from Treforest to Cardiff, where he works for the AA, said the problem had been that the buses had a limited capacity.

He said "There were a lot of people were waiting there [Treforest]...I had to wait about 45 minutes for a bus. I normally get into work about 8.40am so I'll probably be an hour later."

An Arriva Trains Wales spokeswoman said some buses had not arrived on time on Tuesday morning and there had been signalling problems at Llandaff.

But services were now running according to plan, although she said that from next week there would be a reduced train service between Pontypridd and Aberdare and Treherbert, while replacement services would continue to run to Merthyr.

Replacement buses were regularly arriving at Taffs Well station

"Whenever anything like this happens, it always takes one or two teething problems but everything seems to be running as planned now.

"It's a disruption to passengers which is something we apologise for. But the short-term inconvenience it will bring long-term benefits."

The Welsh Assembly Government and the South East Wales Transport Alliance (Sewta) are investing in the £13.2m project, which is part-funded by the EU's Objective 1 programme.

Bob Brierley, of Sewta, said: "Unfortunately, like any infrastructure improvement, any works on a network can have short-term implications for passengers.

"We apologise for that but it's the only way of getting things better in the long run and trying to get more people on to rail and off the roads."

From Sunday until 9 September, two trains an hour will operate between Cardiff and Treherbert and Cardiff and Aberdare. Both will call at all intermediate stations.

An hourly train service will run from Merthyr Tydfil to Abercynon for passengers to change and catch the Aberdare service to Cardiff.