THE announcement of of a start soon on preliminary work for the Ebbw Vale rail link has been dismissed as "political infill" by the area's AM.

The announcement was made by Assembly economic development minister Andrew Davies who said: "I'm delighted to be able to tell you that advanced works are expected to start towards the end of this month or at the beginning of next month.

"Tenders for the work which will include digging up the undergrowth will be let very soon."

But Blaenau Gwent AM Peter Law has dismissed the announcement in the Assembly as "political infill" and said the thousands of people relying on the train line would still have to wait until 2007 for it to open.

The Argus' Get Back On Track campaign has called for Newport's rail link with Ebbw Vale to be opened before or alongside the Cardiff rail link.

But with the Cardiff link set to open in 2006/7 - put back from 2005 and then November 2006 - the Newport link is not set to open until 2008/9.

After the announcement in the Assembly that preliminary work is set to start, Mr Law said: "This was a surprise as I was told on Christ-mas Eve that the tender for the work will not be let until next July and the building of the stations would not be completed until 2007.

"Andrew is the minister but I think this is just political infill - it will take more than just clearing some undergrowth to build us a railway line.

"I've been critical of the dates moving backwards because there are thousands of people in the Ebbw Valley waiting to be made mobile by these rail links and that they mist wait until 2007 is disappointing.

"The longer we wait for the Cardiff link the longer we'll wait for the Newport link.

"When I see contracts let for the building of six stations and signalling I'll get excited."