A PLAN to build a new railway station on the Ebbw Valley line in Newport could be in line to get £2.6 million in UK Government funding.

Pye Corner, which is between Rogerstone and Cardiff on the line in the Bassaleg area of the city, is one of three proposals looking likely to win cash from New Station Fund.

If built, the station would feature a single platform, CCTV, a car park for 70 cars and customer information screens It is one of three schemes in England and Wales to be identified as front runners - with the others in Derbyshire and London.

However the total project would cost £3.6 million and it is unclear who would provide the remaining  cash if it was successful.

Further work is needed to confirm which applications will ultimately be successful, but an announcement on which will get funding is expected in May.

The secretary of state for transport Patrick McLoughlin said the Pye Corner scheme and the others are "shovel-ready projects" that are good to go.

"I would expect to see progress on the ground soon after the detailed assessment of these bids has been completed,” he said.

Network Rail has been asked to commit £5000 of funding for the bids to allow its continued development.

The Ebbw Valley railway project has been backed with funding by the Welsh Government and there are several proposals for new stations, including at Cwm and Ebbw Vale Town.

There are also proposals for a branch line stretching into Abertillery.

The Argus has campaigned for more than a decade for the line to serve Newport.