TRANSPORT for Wales has given an update on when its new trains will be rolled out onto the North Wales Coast track next year.

Two brand-new Class 197 trains, which will be used on long-distance services on North Wales and Border lines, came off the production line earlier this year.

Testing for the trains has been carried on line in the region since May, to mock the route they will take between Holyhead and locations including Chester, Liverpool and Manchester.

It has meant a new roll-out period has been set between the start of spring and winter next year.

A Transport for Wales spokesperson said: "We’re currently planning for them to be in service around the middle of 2022."

The roll-out cannot come fast enough for regular users of the coastal railway, which has seen a cutback in services since the pandemic hit in March last year.

Avanti West Coast said it is due to roll out a new fleet of more accessible and greener bi-mode trains on the Holyhead to London Euston route in 2022.

That service had been reduced during the pandemic from two hourly direct trains to two daily services. These trains are expected to be greener than previous models on the coastal line, and will provide free Wi-Fi, USB charging pots and wireless inductive charging for electronic devices.

Meanwhile, the Transport for Wales trains, which were partly built in Beasain, northern Spain, before assembly in Newport, will feature updates such as stain resistant seats and modern air conditioning and heating systems.

The Class 197 trains also come equipped with a smart seat reservations system that can be downloaded each time the train crew changes.