Residents of a village in Newport have come together to campaign for a railway, or train station to return to Caerleon.

With growing concerns over road congestion and air quality in Caerleon, campaigners from the TRACS, Transport for Caerleon Station, are determined to secure a new transport link that could benefit both residents and tourists.

Steve Cocks, Chair of TRACS highlighted the necessity for alternative public transport options, noting that Caerleon’s original station was closed in 1962.

"The population has grown considerably since then. There is a need for alternative public transport given the issues around road congestion and air quality in Caerleon. People need more options for travelling both for work and leisure," Mr Cocks said.

He also emphasized Caerleon’s rich Roman heritage, which draws numerous visitors each year, many of whom could benefit from the accessibility of rail transport.

A key goal for the group is to show local politicians and rail industry representatives there is “widespread support” for the stations return.

As part of their campaign, TRACS set up a stall at the Caerleon Festival in July, where they conducted a survey of nearly 600 attendees with 99.7% in favour of having a train station reopening.

Sheila Basford, TRACS Committee member and local Post Office owner said "Caerleon Festival is the largest annual event in Caerleon, and it was a great opportunity to engage with the local community to carry out our survey.

"We had many positive conversations and were very pleased with the overwhelming support for our campaign."

In addition to community outreach, TRACS members have been active in discussions with key stakeholders.

In July and August, they met with representatives from Transport for Wales and Network Rail to present the survey results and further make the case for a new station.

Local politicians have also shown their support for the campaign. Ruth Jones MP and Natasha Asghar MS have both attended meetings, while Jayne Bryant MS met with the group earlier in May.

TRACS is now preparing for an upcoming meeting with local MP Jessica Morden in October, "as the campaign continues to build momentum".