THE Argus campaign to reopen the Ebbw Vale to Newport rail link received backing from Tory and Labour politicians.

We want the line reopened in 2005 - the same time the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff link opens - to provide better job opportunities to a town devastated by the Corus redundancies.

The line is currently only used by freight trains, and Network Rail's predecessor Railtrack claimed work needed on the track meant it could not reopen in 2005. The earliest date Railtrack envisaged was 2007.

The Welsh Tories' draft manifesto, which will be officially launched tomorrow, backs our campaign.

Tory AM for Monmouthshire, David Davies, said: "The Ebbw Vale to Newport link is very much affordable as the infrastructure already exists.

"It would just be a case of doing work on the signal box that is already there. "There is no excuse for it not being done at the same time as the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff rail link."

And transport minister Sue Essex was quizzed this week on our campaign - by Newport East Labour AM John Griffiths.

He asked her if she recognised the strength of feeling in Newport and Ebbw Vale for the rail link to open as soon as possible.

"That strength of feeling is reflected in my post bag, the South Wales Argus campaign and the letters page of that newspaper," he said.

Ms Essex replied that in the early days she had anticipated the train would go to Newport, but that she could not deliver that railway system.

"I continue to repeat how important that connection is in Newport. To get that signal situation upgraded will open up the Greater Gwent scheme," she said.