PASSENGERS travelling along the Great Western Line have been promised a more comfortable journey after the Government confirmed a new fleet of trains will come into service next year.

Network Rail is currently in the process of electrifying the line which, along with the new trains, will mean faster and more regular journeys.

However, the project is running behind schedule and the new fleet of trains has already been purchased by the Department of Transport.

Now a conversion programme, to allow the trains to operate using electricity and diesel, is going to take place to ensure the trains will be running next year.

Confirmation that 21 trains will be converted was given on Thursday in parliament by Rail Minister and MP for Devizes Claire Perry.

Speaking afterwards, she said: “We are investing record amounts in our railways to modernise the network and deliver better journeys for passengers.

“The Intercity Express Programme will reduce crowding, transform rail journeys and deliver huge benefits for people in Wales and the South West.

“From 2017 the brand new state-of-the-art trains will provide passengers all along the Great Western Line with greater comfort, more seats and better reliability.”

The electrification is a £5billion project which will increase the efficiency of the line, which has seen a number of high profile projects take place in the Swindon area, such as the replacing of the Stratton Green Bridge.

When completed electrification will stretch from London to South Wales.

Swindon is set to be electrified in December 2018 but Great Western Rail says customers will see the benefits when the new trains start to run.

GWR managing director Mark Hopwood said: “The fleet currently running on routes in the South West of England, is nearly 40 years old, and passengers would greatly benefit from brand new, highly comfortable trains."

The Class 801 Intercity Express trains are being built by Hitachi and the first batch have been delivered.