The Welsh Government's flagship Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) project has signed heads of terms for Transport for Wales to become a major commercial client. The world's first rail testing centre in Wales, currently being constructed at the head of the Dulais and Swansea Valleys, is a £400m research, testing and certification facility for rolling stock, infrastructure and new rail technologies.
It will include two 25KV electrified test loops, a 6.9km high speed rolling stock track, and a 4km ~60km/h infrastructure test track. As part of the GCRE membership model, companies can take guaranteed testing and research time at the site according to their needs.
The agreement sees Transport for Wales, wholly owned by the Welsh Government, take the highest level of membership at GCRE and become a premium client of the facility, due to be completed in 2025, for rail testing, innovation and research and development. Transport for Wales will also be able to use other GCRE services, including storage, training and product approvals.
