The government has announced plans today to invest £1.1 billion into the first big electrification of the rail network for 20 years.
The plans will see the first electric main line trains ever running in Wales, aimed to improve passenger journeys, cut carbon emissions and boost the economy.
The prime minister and transport secretary will unveil the plans, with work starting immediately on the two railways involving the London to Swansea and Liverpool to Manchester lines.
The government say the completed two railways will increase the proportion of electric train journeys in Britain from 60 per cent to 67 per cent.
Prime minister Gordon Brown said: "To build a better Britain, we must be bold, innovative and forward-looking and invest with confidence in our country's transport infrastructure, jobs and industry.
"This electrification programme is vital to building a 21st century transport system."
There may be further plans to electrify other parts of the rail network later this year. Under the plans out today, it will enable electric train services to run from Manchester and its airport to Glasgow and Edinburgh and open up the option of extending Crossrail to Reading. Great Western electrification will include the lines to Oxford and Newbury.
First minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan, will join the prime minister and transport secretary, Andrew Adonis, today in Cardiff to mark the announcement. Mr Morgan said: "I'm delighted that this major modernisation, the first rail electrification in Wales, will boost travel links to and within Wales.
"It will improve connections between London, Cardiff and Swansea and make a rail journey between London and Swansea almost 20 minutes shorter. We need to work closely now to ensure these exciting plans dovetail with our own national transport plan."
The plans are hoped to benefit the environment, with an electric train typically emitting between 20 and 30 per cent less carbon per passenger per mile than a diesel train.
Andrew Davis, director of the Environmental Transport Association (ETA), told inthenews.co.uk: "It's not before time. We welcome the turnaround the government have made and believe it is a wise investment move. It makes good business sense too and it will make the services run much better."
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