Ebbw Valley trains to carry double the passengers as popularity soars

6:20pm Monday 4th March 2013 in News

POPULAR: Passengers at Ebbw Vale Parkway station POPULAR: Passengers at Ebbw Vale Parkway station

THE increasing popularity of the Ebbw Valley Line means that from today, the busiest services will have double the passenger capacity.

Arriva Trains Wales will now put four carriages on the route instead of two, giving an additional 140 seats every weekday morning and evening.

These bigger trains will be in operation for the 7.40am journey from Ebbw Vale Parkway to Cardiff Central and the 5.35pm return and will be funded through Arriva Trains and the Welsh Government.

The train company’s managing director, Ian Bullock, said: “The Ebbw Vale line has seen growth in passenger journeys of 31per cent since the line reopened and we expect this growth to continue as rail services support the sustainable development of these important communities.”

The Ebbw Valley Line was closed in 1962, but was re-opened in February 2008 following the long-running Back on Track Argus campaign.

We reported last August how 770,602 people had used the line’s stations at Rogerstone, Risca, Pontymister, Cross Keys, Newbridge, Llanhilleth and Ebbw Vale in the past year – a 53,336 increase on the year before.

Transport minister Carl Sargeant said: “The growth in demand for this service has outstripped all expectations and it demonstrates just how worthwhile the investment has been. It is bringing economic and social benefits to many people by helping to provide access to work and leisure opportunities all along the route.”

Comments(9)

blackandamber says...
6:36pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Transport minister Carl Sargeant said: “The growth in demand for this service has outstripped all expectations and it demonstrates just how worthwhile the investment has been. It is bringing economic and social benefits to many people by helping to provide access to work and leisure opportunities all along the route.”

Except the people of Newport it would seem

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Big Bus Driver says...
7:31pm Mon 4 Mar 13

It's funny how freight trains connect from the bit of track in Newport to the bit of track towards EV but passenger trains cannot? Mind you, if you wanted to go to a city for a nice day out from EV and wanted to do some shopping I don't suppose Newport would cut it compared to shoppers paradise in Cardiff.

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Mervyn James says...
8:45pm Mon 4 Mar 13

They are all going to Cardiff, who can blame them ?

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RPRisca says...
9:31pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Maybe so, but it would be a good thing if we could get a train to Bristol, Bath and points east without having to go via Cardiff and miss a connecting service by just a few minutes! Oh, and go to Newport as well! And not just to shop either...

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rlewis says...
9:37pm Mon 4 Mar 13

Can't believe it's taken 5 years to realise that this route needs extra carriages.

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Severn40 says...
9:26am Tue 5 Mar 13

A Newport connection isn't just about getting to shops or the lack of them. It is about connecting the Ebbw Vale to strategic locations such as Bristol and London.

I suspect many travellers along the Ebbw Vale line wanting to go east rather than Cardiff are hopping into their cars and joining the trains directly at Newport.

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Owain Vaughan says...
10:12am Tue 5 Mar 13

It's not just freight trains that can use the line from Gaer Junction to Park Junction - it is fully signalled for passenger trains. In the early part of the year some late night trains from CDF to EBV were routed via NWP. You could even buy tickets from NWP to ROR with a journey time of 9 minutes. I wonder if anyone did that journey?

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Sara_Risca says...
11:53am Tue 5 Mar 13

Its about time, I've contacted Arriva about this issue many times to be told that busy trains are not seen as a health and safety issue.
Having been catching this train since it opened i have seen people fainting due to the crowding and heat in the summer, being told i cannot board the train to Cardiff as it is too full and having to then wait another hour for the next train.

Im glad to see they are actually doing something about this!!

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displayed says...
5:04pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Good news for some!

We are still waiting for our link to "go live" to Newport, but never mind, its only a city!

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