Railwatch

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Railwatch 068 - July 1996

South Wales

By Julian Langston and Bob Neville

Ebbw rail campaign We are holding an action day in Newbridge, Gwent during Green Transport Week in June. We have a caravan, complete with display on the campaign to reopen the line between Newport and Ebbw Vale. For up-to-the-minute information about the campaign, send £1 to Malcolm Parker, 20 Woodfield Park Crescent, Pontllanfraith, Gwent NP2 0BX.

Museum station Over the past three months RDS Wales has been involved in discussions with the Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans to set up a station. This would be in the style of a station in the 1920s. Although part of the museum site, it would be a working station serving Maesteg and Swanline services and it could help to reduce traffic congestion in west Cardiff and increase the number of visitors to the museum.

Missed opportunity We have been lobbying the Welsh Development Agency for increased use of rail by freight. We have pointed out that 3,000 jobs went to Scotland because a Korean company decided to locate there rather than Wales partly because the Scottish plant had a rail link nearby. Ironically, there was a rail link near the proposed Cardiff site, but the WDA did not tell the potential investors.

Cuts on the cards Our model franchise has been completely ignored by the franchise director in drawing up the draft franchise for South Wales and the West Trains. A 50% cut in services on the reopened Maesteg Line and on Swanline services are among many reductions in the draft PSRs.

Road cuts rail The South Wales main line was severed just west of Bridgend over both May Bank Holidays, so a new road could be driven under the railway. The closure on the first weekend happened when crowds of rugby fans flooded to Cardiff from West Wales for the Swalec Cup Final. Passengers travelling on the second weekend were rewarded by having to pay more expensive fares for disrupted journeys. We have called for the work to be carried out at a quieter time so fewer passengers will be inconvenienced. If the work must be done in a busy period, passengers should be compensated.

Note: contact details (postal and email addresses, along with telephone numbers) in old editions of Railwatch out of date. Click CONTACT US for latest contact details.


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