IT has been fifty years since Abertillery station closed, but after years of campaigning residents might soon be able to take the train again.

Transport minister Edwina Hart has said the government is looking at whether a new station could be based near Tesco.

The superstore was built on Castle Street by the site of the old railway line.

Speaking at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, Ms Hart said work to allow the Ebbw Vale line to take on more services, including potential trains to Abertillery, had already started.

She said the government expected to publish details of new rail services before the Welsh Assembly’s summer break.

Anthony Partridge, who started a petition for a new station in Abertillery, said previously: “People here are struggling to get out of Abertillery, and the nearest station at Llanhilleth is over three miles away.

“This is vital for our town as businesses are struggling and there is high unemployment because people can’t get to other parts of South Wales unless they can drive.”

In the 1960s, increased reliance on motorways meant track across the country was ripped up. The then government's Beeching Report recommended closing more than 2,000 stations and although Abertillery was not directly mentioned it specified Caldicot Halt, Magor and Llantrisant among rail destinations to be axed.

Back in October 2010, transport consultant Capita Symonds recommended that a new station be built in Abertillery, with a new hourly service introduced between the town and Cardiff.

Members of the South East Wales Transport Alliance approved this, with negotiations taking place with Tesco to buy land that would also fit 80 car parking spaces.

However, the final decision rested with the Welsh Government and all went quiet on the issue until recently.

The Labour government wants to build a ‘metro’ system of bus and rail links across South Wales, with routes under consideration including a rail link between Ebbw Vale and Newport.

Ms Hart’s comments came in response to a question from Blaenau Gwent AM Alun Davies, who said: “Many people in Blaenau Gwent, Minister, see the next priority in the development of the Ebbw Vale line as a new station and services to Abertillery.”

Ms Hart added that work to allow more trains to run on the Ebbw Vale line would be finished at the end of 2016 with additional trains put on to Newport, Cardiff or both cities.

The decision on where to send the trains would be based on what passengers wanted, she said.

Pointing to the new stations at Pye Corner in Rogerstone and Ebbw Vale town centre, she said the first phase of the metro, worth £77 million, was already taking place.

Asking where money for the project was coming from, Welsh Tory leader Andrew RT Davies said some money might be available from EU funds.

Ms Hart replied she would report back to AMs on the “exciting” metro developments soon.