THE NEXT ten years will be crucial for the city of Newport.

The city centre must undergo major redevelopment, including its infrastructure, such as an inner ring road, cultural venues and public squares and spaces. There must be a major development of inner city areas such as Baneswell - build quality accommodation for the over-50s, say. Otherwise, the city centre will become a squalid, non-place for many decades. A new Royal Gwent Hospital should be built (in phases) over the next 12 years. The Ebbw Vale/Abertillery to Newport rail link should be in operation by 2016. New railway stations should be built at Caerleon, Llanwern, Rogerstone and Maesglas. It is not necessary for these railway lines to be electrified. New technology batteries could power trains by the 2020s. It should be remembered that there used to be a regular battery-driven train service to Newport way back in the 1950s.

Brian Hayes, Clearwell Court, Bassaleg