NEW railway stations could be opening across Wales, including one in Gwent, but a campaign group has been left asking questions about their proposed station.
Twelve new railway stations could open in Wales in the near future, including one in Llanwern in Newport.
Economy secretary Ken Skates AM has sent a letter to assembly members to update them on the process for prioritising proposals for new stations across the country stating which ones need more detailed scrutiny.
In the letter sent to AMs, Mr Skates said proposals for 46 stations came from a “range of sources” including the National Transport Finance Plan (2015).
He said: “The assessment methodology follows a three-stage approach. This will mean that the more costly work on producing detailed cost estimates for a new station and timetable modelling is only carried out on the highest priorities.
“The stage two assessment will look in more detail at the strength of the financial and economic case for a new railway station, including advice from Network Rail on deliverability.”
An application was also made in 2016 for a Magor and Undy station on the South Wales mainline.
The application was made by Monmouthshire council and the Magor Action Group on Rail. The application gained support from various organisation and AMs, and the group had a target of opening the station on St David’s Day 2018.
Spokesman for the group, Paul Turner, said: “We were shocked to find we aren’t in the list, and we are past the stages of assessment and our report shows that it is a high cost benefit, so we know it’s a strong business case.
“We are going to go back to the Assembly and ask why we are not on the list. We are trying to get to the bottom of what’s happening.”
The 12 proposed stations are Newport:
- Llanwern
- Cardiff: Ely Mill / Victoria Park
- Cardiff: Newport Road / Rover Way
- Cardiff: St Mellons
- Swansea: Landore,
- Swansea: Cockett
- Deeside Industrial Park / Northern Gateway
- North Wrexham
- South Wrexham
- St Clears
- Llangefni
- Bow Street
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