TfW rolls out smart station technology across seven major locations

Passengers at seven stations across the Wales and borders network are set to benefit from upgraded ticket gates, video help points and new technology giving frontline staff greater control over station operations.

Transport for Wales (TfW) is rolling out a package of station technology upgrades between August and October, targeting some of the busiest locations on its network.

The programme covers Cardiff Queen Street, Neath, Swansea, Rhyl, Chester, Shrewsbury and Newport, with each station expected to require around five days of installation work.

At the centre of the investment are modernised ticket barriers and interactive Video Help Points, which will allow passengers to speak directly with TfW staff through two-way video and audio.

The technology is intended to make it easier for passengers to receive assistance at the gateline, particularly when tickets are rejected or when additional help is required.

Remote help at the gateline

The Video Help Points will combine direct access to staff with self-service passenger information.

They will also support the remote operation of ticket gates, potentially allowing problems to be resolved more quickly without passengers having to search for a member of staff.

Frontline teams will meanwhile receive new Station Control Units, consisting of tablet devices positioned near station gatelines.

These will allow employees to operate the barriers locally and provide an additional option alongside TfW's existing mobile control system.

TfW says the combination should improve everyday station operations while making gatelines more accessible and responsive to passenger needs.

Darren Haynes, Head of Customer Operations at TfW, said:

“This investment across seven of our major stations will significantly improve daily station operations and enhance the passenger experience.“These updates are designed to make every journey smoother while equipping our frontline colleagues with modern tools to ensure our stations remain welcoming and accessible for everyone.”

Seven stations upgraded in three months

The rollout began at Cardiff Queen Street, with work scheduled from 3 to 7 August.

Neath follows from 17 to 21 August, before work moves to Swansea between 24 and 28 August.

September will see upgrades at Rhyl from 7 to 11 September, Chester between 13 and 18 September and Shrewsbury from 21 to 25 September.

Newport will complete the programme, with installation scheduled from 26 September to 1 October.

TfW plans to undertake most of the noisier construction activity overnight where possible to minimise disruption.

Stations will remain open throughout the work.

Ticket gates will temporarily be unavailable while new equipment is installed and tested, with station teams carrying out manual ticket inspections during those periods.

Contactless passengers reminded to tap out

TfW is also reminding passengers using pay-as-you-go contactless travel that they will still need to tap in and out while the barriers are being replaced.

Passengers should tap in when beginning their journey and tap out when leaving their destination, even where the normal gateline is temporarily unavailable.

Failure to record both ends of a journey can result in an incomplete journey charge, although missing journey information can subsequently be corrected through TfW's app or online accounts.

The three-month programme represents another step in TfW's wider modernisation of the passenger experience, combining physical station improvements with technology designed to give customers faster access to assistance.

For passengers, some of the most visible changes will be the new barriers. But the more significant shift could be the technology around them – connecting passengers directly with staff and giving station teams smarter tools to keep people moving.