NOT TAKING NO FOR AN ANSWER

We need more investment in our railway stations, better facilities for passengers and more stopping services at Caldicot, Chepstow and Severn Tunnel Junction railway stations. This would offer a realistic alternative to using the car and is something that manages to happen in most European countires on a daily basis - just not here.

In south Monmouthshire, Caldicot and Chepstow Railway Stations should be real assets to the community – the years of slow neglect must become a thing of the past, they should be a real transport hubs which inter-connect more fully with local bus services, regional rail services and provide links to enable rail travelers to access intercity services.

The quiet on-going neglect may well have (for the moment stopped) and the provision of better station facilities which is not a pipe dream, could make a real and significant difference to rail passengers from east Newport, south east Monmouthshire, the lower Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean.

Plaid Cymru, in Monmouth constituency has called for:

• More stopping services at Caldicot, Chepstow and Severn Tunnel Junction Railway Stations during peak and non-peak hours.
• The provision of better facilities for passengers including waiting rooms for travelers.
• More safe and secure parking facilities at the stations.
• Better more thought out integration of Local bus services with train arrivals.
• The provision of disabled access to the station platforms.

The Plaid driven One Wales Government, working with Monmouthshire County Council and Network Rail should work to develop safe and secure car parking, and an integration of local bus services with train arrivals. There are still some pretty horrendous gaps in services, more trains need to stop at both Caldicot and Chepstow; there is nothing quite so frustrating as standing on a platform watching a passenger train slow down to pass through the station without stopping. There’s a real need for toilet facilities and extended waiting rooms for passengers at both stations, investment in facilities and better services will bring more passengers.

An example of what’s possible can be found at Severn Tunnel Junction where the Severn Tunnel Action Group continues to fight to develop the railway Station. They have delivered real results for rail users, with retained rail services, better passenger waiting areas, new electronic information boards, improved parking facilities and the restoration of platform 4 which opened as of Monday 4th January 2009, means that there should be less delays to train services.

Over the years they have reversed alleged irreversible and permanent cuts in rail services which prevented passengers journeying to Bristol, Bath, Newport and Cardiff and beyond. They are still campaigning to get the foot bridge and the provision of lifts for easy access for disabled and elderly rail passengers. So there is some merit in not taking No for an answer - particularly if you want a better rail service.