WYCA Transport Chair welcomes new rolling stock announcement

West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee Chair, Cllr Keith Wakefield has welcomed Arriva Trains North�s announcement that it has ordered new rolling stock for the new Northern franchise.

Arriva is investing �490m in 281 new carriages, built by Spain�s CAF, that will replace the existing Pacers. The first of the new trains will be delivered by October 2018 with the full order, made up of 31 three-car and 12 four-car electric trains and 25 x two-car and 30 x three-car diesel trains, scheduled to enter service by December 2019.

Responding to the news, Cllr Wakefield said: �I�m sure that West Yorkshire�s rail passengers will be as pleased as I am that thanks to this investment, they will be able to travel in the comfort and style they quite rightly expect, rather than the outdated Pacers which are no longer up to the job and embody the legacy of under-investment in the North�s transport network.

�These modern, faster trains will reduce overcrowding at peak times and serve more places more often, supporting the connectivity that will underpin economic growth across the Leeds City Region.�

The new 100mph CAF trains will include air conditioning, audio and visual on-board passenger information systems, power sockets and tables, cycle racks, toilets, digital CCTV systems, and free wi-fi for passengers.