CALLS are being made for Crumlin to get its own railway station when the Cardiff to Ebbw Vale passenger railway line re-opens.

Islwyn AM Brian Hancock is campaigning for the economic regeneration of the Navigation Colliery site and wants a railway station in the town. At present, the nearest of the six planned stations along the line will be at Newbridge and Risca.

Mr Hancock says there is the opportunity for a "phoenix job" on the Navigation Colliery site and that his objective is to raise its profile and potential with other agencies and with potential entrepreneurs.

During a short debate at the National Assembly he argued the site was "absolutely prime", running parallel to the main north-south road from Ebbw Vale to Newport. Mr Hancock added that the colliery - a Grade II*listed complex with a 46m high square stack chimney - has had hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on it by the owners Pontypool Park Estate and Cadw - the historic monuments body - but its future still remains in limbo.

A National Assembly spokesman said yesterday that there are no plans for a station at Crumlin.

Mr Hancock has campaigned for the Ebbw Vale to Newport passenger railway to re-open for at least five years. The Argus launched its Get Us Back on Track campaign in the summer, calling for the line to Newport to re-open at the same time as the Cardiff line in 2005. Railtrack says the Newport link will not open until 2007 at the earliest. But Mr Hancock said it was ridiculous the line to Newport was scheduled to re-open after the one to Cardiff.