THE planned South Wales Metro project will benefit Newport and other communities in the region, not just commuters travelling to and from Cardiff.

That's the message from first minister Carwyn Jones after the future of the project - intended to improve public transport links around the region through a network of buses and trains - was thrown into doubt following the result of June’s referendum, as it is partially funded by the European Union.

But, speaking in the Senedd yesterday the first minister said he had been assured £125m of European funding would be made available for the project and work was currently underway to find a developer and operator, with a contract to be awarded at the end of 2017.

How the Metro network could look:

South Wales Argus:

Plaid Cymru South Wales East AM Steffan Lewis said he was concerned the scheme amounted to “no more than making a commute to Cardiff easier, rather than a comprehensive plan to spread job creation opportunities across the entire south east”.

But the first minister replied the links to Cardiff was “half the story”.

“The other half of the story is to make it easier for investors to move their investments up into Valley communities as it becomes in their minds easier to get there,” he said.

“It has to be a two-way flow for the region to operate effectively.”

Ukip AM David Rowlands, who also represents South Wales East, said he was concerned it would not benefit communities on the eastern side of the region.

But the first minister replied the metro would be “extendable”.

“It’s not about simply looking at the structure that we have at the moment,” he said.

“The metro in future will I have no doubt include new light rail lines and new bus connectivity, particularly cross valley where, of course, it’s quite difficult as everything tends to be north to south.”