WITH the announcement of the new rail franchise the Welsh Government finally seems to be living up to the promises it made to our region.

It is incredibly positive that this new rail franchise is bringing new investment to Wales where the previous franchise only provided continued mediocrity.

Half of the new trains promised by the new franchise are to be built at the CAF facility in Newport, bringing with it nearly 300 skilled jobs.

These trains will be replacing the Pacers, the horrid freight and bus hybrid trains, which are still being used despite being nearly over double their intended lifespan.

Travel on trains around our region will at long last be possible in comfort when we see the end of the Pacers.

Rail journeys will also be cheaper and more extensive for those living at the top of valleys.

I campaigned heavily for fare cuts on journeys from the top of the valleys down to Newport and Cardiff and I am delighted to see that the cabinet secretary has taken this bold step.

This will allow far more people to commute into Cardiff and Newport and yet still live in the towns and communities that they call home and provide much needed job opportunities.

It is also heartening to see that the Ebbw Vale to Newport line is finally being restored after decades of campaigning, spearheaded in particular by this newspaper and I would like to congratulate all involved.

However, it is not just the people of Ebbw Vale who have been waiting for new train services.

It is vital that we continue to push for the new stations needed in our region, particularly Magor and Undy that could serve as an excellent parkway station for Monmouthshire.

Now we have been promised these improvements to our rail network it is crucial we use them.

I questioned the first minister on what risks there are with the new franchise, he made it very clear that the franchise is only financially viable if we continue to see increased passenger numbers on the railways.

This makes it a use it or lose opportunity.

I would encourage you all to take advantage of the benefits of the new rail franchise.

If we don’t, it will be much harder to campaign against our region being overlooked in the future.