THE Ebbw Vale railway line celebrated its millionth passenger yesterday as the deputy first minister told the Argus the long-awaited Newport link could be up and running by 2011.

The Cardiff service reached the milestone two-and-a-half years ahead of target and deputy first minister Ieuan Wyn Jones and Blaenau Gwent council leader Des Hillman joined commuters and shoppers on the 8.40am train from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff, which took the number of passengers past the million mark.

The line re-opened in February last year after a £30 million project saw 18 miles of existing track put back in use as part of plans to regenerate Blaenau Gwent.

The hourly service between Ebbw Vale Parkway and Cardiff Central also stops at Llanhilleth, Newbridge, Crosskeys, Risca and Pontymister and Rogerstone.

It was thought it would take four years for a million passengers to use the line, but by its first birthday on February 6 it had exceeded expectations with 573,443 users.

Mr Wyn Jones, also the transport minister, said the service had given people access to jobs further from their homes, provided a comfortable, quick and convenient means of travel and encouraged residents to use public transport.

Of reaching the million passenger mark, he said: "It’s a remarkable achievement that it’s happened so quickly and it’s a testament to the success of the service."

The Argus has long campaigned to bring the line to Newport - currently passengers from the Ebbw Valley have to travel to Cardiff and change, or get a service bus from Rogerstone to Newport after the rail link bus was axed - and South Wales East Assembly Member William Graham said the success of the Cardiff line meant the case for the Newport line to be speeded up was strong.

Mr Wyn Jones said the Newport link could be a reality by 2011.

He said work at the Gaer junction should be complete in 2010 and attention would then turn to infrastructure improvements at Newport with the possibility of a new service running the next year.

Passengers Melvyn Smith, 75, and his wife Mary, 71, from Trinant, have used the Ebbw Vale line fortnightly since it re-opened to visit the shops in Cardiff.

Mrs Smith said: "It’s an excellent service and very convenient for us because we can get on at Llanhilleth or Newbridge.

"We were very supportive of it from the start because we didn’t like having to drive all the way to Cardiff, this is much more convenient."