A £58 million upgrade of Cardiff Central Station — recently confirmed by (former) UK Transport Secretary Chris Grayling — is expected to provide improved access and platforms that can accommodate longer trains.

Subject to the necessary assurances that the scheme represents value for money, the upgrade will ease overcrowding and congestion throughout the station during peak periods.

In addition, there is a commitment to ‘progress’ plans for a new parkway station at Swansea, reducing journey times to West Wales.

Alun Cairns, the Secretary of State for Wales, said: “We’re committed to improving standards of service for rail passengers across Wales. This funding will allow Cardiff to become an attractive tourist and commuter destination at a crucial time in the city’s regeneration.

"We are also committing to progressing plans for a West Wales Parkway station, which will deliver time savings of up to a quarter of an hour from Pembrokeshire to Cardiff and increase local connectivity around Swansea — to provide greater opportunities for the whole of the Swansea Bay City region.”

This investment builds on the £5 billion that the UK Government is spending to improve journeys for passengers on the Great Western Mainline between South Wales and London — targeted at introducing more-reliable and faster services, new trains and more seats.