Over 1,000 air-con faults hit Welsh trains as passengers swelter

More than 1,000 air conditioning faults have been reported on Transport for Wales trains since April, new figures uncovered by the Welsh Liberal Democrats have revealed, amid complaints from passengers over sweltering conditions on services during the recent hot weather.

Figures obtained 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. Transport for Wales said 894 faults had been closed over the same period, suggesting 124 of the reported faults remained outstanding.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats said they were 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.

The party has also warned that persistent problems with air conditioning risk damaging confidence in Welsh rail among tourists visiting Wales during the crucial summer season, including those travelling by train to popular coastal destinations such as Aberystwyth, Pembrokeshire and the North Wales coast.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called on Transport for Wales to urgently clear outstanding air-conditioning faults and for the Welsh Government to demand an action plan from TfW setting out how it will improve the reliability of air conditioning across its fleet and prevent passengers being left on overheated trains.

Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS 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.”

ENDS