MAKING PLANS

The regional transport consortium Sewta, the South East Wales Transport Alliance, has launched a consultation on how it thinks services should be improved in the region up to 2030. New services are proposed for the Ebbw Valley line and new stations in south Gwent at Caerleon, St Mellons, Coedkernew and Llanwern, along with additional rail services across the south east. Proposals for the Ebbw Vale line include  extensions from Ebbw Vale Parkway to Ebbw Vale Town, from Llanhilleth to Abertillery and from the Ebbw Vale line to Newport as well as new stations at Crumlin and Pye Corner in Newport.

Under the SEWTA proposals additional services would also call at Severn Tunnel Junction along with new services being proposed on the Abergavenny and Chepstow line, and services between Caerphilly, Machen and Newport. A suggestion has also been made to electrify the Abergavenny to Shrewsbury and Chepstow to Gloucester lines. The plans also include the extension of the railway to Ebbw Vale Town and plans to build a new station at Pye Corner which has already have Welsh Government backing.

The capital costs are estimated for the schemes within the programme average £19.5m per annum. Revenue costs would increase over the initial ten years of the strategy to between £13m and £15m per year. Thereafter, increasing revenues would offset additional costs. The majority of that benefit occurs in 2020, when electrification will reduce operating costs. Sewta is a consortium made up of local authorities in the south east including all five Gwent councils, so the projects would need funding from other sources and evidence of support is being sought for the concept of a South East Wales Metro.

The closing date for comments is September 30^th 2013

For more information visit www.sewta.gov.uk 

The full report is available at: http://www.sewta.gov.uk/other-documents/sewta-rail-strategy/

HAVING OUR SAY?

The South East Wales Transport Alliance (SEWTA) is canvassing our opinions on its report (from March 2011) that looks at improvements to rail provision along the Abergavenny to Newport line. The report includes proposals for a new railway station at Caerleon and improvements to existing stations at Abergavenny, Pontypool and New Inn and Cwmbran, has been pout out for public consultation.

The 'Abergavenny to Newport Rail Corridor Option Development and Appraisal' report lists three distinct proposals for rail development:

• The basic option includes improving the interchange and parking facilities at stations in Abergavenny and Cwmbran, providing a disabled access bridge at Cwmbran along with basic improvements at Pontypool and New Inn station.
  
• The middle option adds to the basic proposals by developing Pontypool and New Inn station, and improving parking and access to the A4042, and adding an infill service going from Abergavenny to Cardiff.
  
  
• The enhanced or full option include all of the above with an additional hourly service between Cardiff and Abergavenny and creating a new station at Caerleon. 

The report, produced by Capita Symonds, recommends the medium option with the addition of the new Caerleon station. The report notes that the middle option would “results in over 168,000 new rail trips (105,000 from station improvements and 63,000 from frequency enhancements)”. The report anticipates that something like half of these rail journeys trips would be as a result of people choosing the train rather than the car to travel.

Interestingly enough a new Caerleon railway station is anticipated to add around 93,000 new rail journeys. The report estimates that there would be a increase in passenger numbers on the Abergavenny to Newport line of around thirty two percent when compared with whats happening at the moment.

SEWTA has asked members of the public to give their views of the plans. The consultation period closes on March 12th 2012.

Comments can be emailed to: sewtaconsultation@capita.co.uk or posted to:

Alison Walker
Ty Gwent
Lake View
Llantarnam Park
Cwmbran
NP44 3HR

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL...

The study commissioned by SEWTA (South East Wales Transport Alliance) amongst other things has recommended that extra trains should run (every two hours) on the line from Newport to Abergavenny, not to mention that Pontypool and New Inn station be developed (with park and ride facilities) accessed from the A4042. This along with the proposed (and much needed) new station at Caerleon and better car parking and bus links at Abergavenny and Cwmbran should be warmly welcomed.

The SEWTA Regional Transport Plan was approved by the Minister for Economy and Transport in January 2010 and following submission of a capital programme for 2010/11 implementation began in April 2010. SEWTA has produced proposals for the development of stations at Crumlin and Pye Corner stations (which would include bus stops and bike parking). The study of the Abergavenny line suggests that proposed improvements may result in an extra 168,000 new rail trips, something that will reduce car use, cut congestion and pollution.

The recent report builds on previous work, back in March 2010, SEWTA recommended on the line from Abergavenny via Newport to Cardiff, SEWTA has already proposed a new stations at St Mellons, and called for more frequent stopping services at Pontypool and New Inn. On the line from Chepstow via Newport to Cardiff, SEWTA has proposed new stations at Llanwern and Coedkernew, and an improved and more frequent services at Chepstow, Caldicot and Severn Tunnel Junction.

The SEWTA reports are well researched and well structured, and should have made a significant contribution to the debate, now is the time for action. Let's get it done...