TRANSPORT group SEWTA is asking Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan to press the Government over rail electrification.

It wants Ms Gillan to promote the business case of electrification of the Ebbw Valley Line and others in and around Gwent, saying this could act as a catalyst for regeneration.

SEWTA - the South East Wales Transport Alliance - co-ordinates transport plans for the five Gwent councils and a further five neighbouring council areas.

Chairman Andrew Morgan wrote a letter to Ms Gillan asking her to support the Welsh Government’s proposals for electrifying the railway lines.

He pointed to environmental benefits, adding that a fully-electrified network would reduce the cost of running it by 20 per cent and also create more flexibity in how trains work.

He added: “Furthermore, rail electrification has the potential to act as a catalyst for wider economic regeneration in the region and significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions.”

Since 1985, the number of railway stations in South East Wales has risen from 58 to 92, with lines reopened to passenger traffic.

The importance of rail transport to the area is illustrated by the success of the Ebbw Valley Line – more than 180,000 trips are made on it to Cardiff central station every year.

The Argus has campaigned for more than a decade for it to be linked to Newport.