EARLIER this month I secured a parliamentary debate putting forward the case forward for a new walkway station for Magor and Undy.

In the debate I praised the ongoing campaigning of the Magor Action Group on Rail, who have worked alongside Monmouthshire County Council to highlight the benefits of a station in the heart of the community, within a 10 to 15 minute walk or cycle ride for all residents of Magor and Undy.

Research suggests that a walkway station in Magor would reduce traffic movements on the busy B4245 by as many as 60,000 vehicles per year.

With the populations of the villages of Magor and Undy expected to grow to 10,000 over the next few years, a station would also serve one of the fastest-growing communities in South East Wales, facilitating easier transport links to Newport, Cardiff, the Gwent Valleys and Bristol.

As Magor Action Group member Paul Turner has rightly said, a walkway station and potential community hub would help reduce traffic pollution, provide better access to public transport and places of employment and attract more visitors into the community. I and look forward to working with local campaigners – and supporters of the project including the Welsh Government and our local AM John Griffiths – as the Magor Action group build towards their GRIP 3 study and a potential future bid to the Department for Transport’s New Stations Fund.

- I also participated in Gerald Jones MP’s recent debate on DWP office closures in south east Wales.

In the debate I talked about the staff at Sovereign House in Newport who are affected by the move to Treforest from 2021.

We have a dedicated and skilled DWP team here in Newport and we should not be losing expertise and jobs in our community.

- In Parliament I’ve been raising the issue of internet scams, highlighting the case of my constituent Malcolm Richards who has spoken out about having been the victim of an online bitcoin scam.

The scam in question is similar to issues raised by money-saving expert Martin Lewis in his dispute with Facebook.

We need more discussion and action on this growing problem in Westminster, and it’s vital that the Government ensures internet-based companies using paid advertising take their responsibility to protect the public seriously.

- Last week John Griffiths AM and I met with managers at Orb following the announcement that Tata is putting the business up for sale.

The Orb works, which has been in Newport since 1898, produces world-class electrical steel products in a market with great potential.

They have a skilled, dedicated workforce, and it is hoped there will be a lot of interest in the business. I’ll continue to monitor developments closely.