THE First Minister of Wales officially opened Ebbw Vale’s £11.5 million town centre railway station yesterday before taking a trip on the new 20 second funicular.

Yesterday morning Carwyn Jones told the Argus that “10 years ago people would not have thought we would have seen the level of regeneration in Ebbw Vale we are seeing today”.

The Welsh Government funded Ebbw Vale Town station has already been serving passengers since May 17 but yesterday was its official launch.

The station, which has been delivered by Network Rail, is on the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line and will provide an hourly service.

It is hoped the project will have a two-way benefit for the people of Blaenau Gwent, with better access to employment and training opportunities in Cardiff as well as a means to encourage the rest of South Wales to visit Ebbw Vale.

The First Minister said: “It’s fantastic. In 2008 the railway came as far as Ebbw Vale Parkway and the ambition was always to take it into the town.”

Ebbw Vale Town station, as well as the upcoming Pye Corner rail station, is part of the Welsh Government’s investment into Phase One of the Cardiff Capital Region Metro.

But Mr Jones said the metro is much more than just a transport project.

He said: “It will be a catalyst for transforming the economic and social prospects for the south east region of Wales and improve connectivity across Wales as a whole.”

Following his visit to the new station, Mr Jones then popped in to the new Ebbw Vale Cableway, a mechanical lift which links the town station and the Works with the higher-level town centre.

The European-funded Funicular, which is part of Blaenau Gwent Council’s town regeneration project, opened on Wednesday, cost £2.5 million to install after more than a year in the planning and is one of just a few of its kind in Wales.

It can hold up to 19 adults and takes around 20 seconds to complete the 40 metre journey up the steep incline.

After opening at 7am on Wednesday, security staff at the lift said it has been busy, especially with students at the Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone.

Delwyn Jones, who has been helping to welcome people onto the lift, said: “We have had about 60 in just an hour this morning. Some trips are full with about 16 to 20 kids. It’s a lovely view on one side.”

The First Minister took a trip on the Cableway and said: “It’s a fantastic way of linking the town centre. If it was just steps it would be a problem for people with limited physical mobility.

“It’s not just a link but a novelty for people as well.”

Blaenau Gwent Councillor John Williams acknowledged the high cost of the funicular project but called it “fantastic”.

“It cost a lot and there is a cost to run it, that’s got to be done, but overall it has a big benefit. It’s taken a long time to get to but it’s fantastic.

“If people want to come to our town they can and then they can get straight into the town centre within five minutes.”