FIRST Minister Rhodri Morgan finally broke his silence over our campaign to re-open the Newport to Ebbw Vale rail link - and admitted he DOES support it.

The Labour leader had previously refused to comment on our Get Us Back on Track campaign - to get the vital link re-opened at the same time as the £15 million Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line.

But he was forced to speak out yesterday after being put on the spot by his own party members.

We at the Argus want the link to be re-opened in 2005 because it is vital for the regeneration of Ebbw Vale, giving people access to job opportunities in Newport. Letters of support and campaign coupons for the Get Us Back on Track campaign are pouring in.

Mr Morgan was tackled at the plenary session by Gwent Labour AMs Peter Law and Rosemary Butler, and Plaid AM Brian Hancock.

Blaenau Gwent AM Mr Law said: "Following the excellent decision you made to open the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line, would you now agree to incorporate the line from Ebbw Vale to Newport in to the plan so that it can be done in 2005, instead of waiting until 2008 at the cost of an additional £700,000, in line with the Argus' campaign."

Mr Morgan responded: "I agree entirely with the principle - I would be delighted to see a rail link up and running to Newport, but I am not sure I agree with the figure."

Mr Morgan said part of the signal system was removed in 1962, after the Newport link became freight-only, and he believed the company that built it had gone out of business. He said it would cost much more than £700,000 to reinstate - but then told Islwyn AM Mr Hancock he did not know how much.

An independent engineering firm told the Argus the cost of repairing signals at Caer Junction would be around £700,000.

Mr Morgan claimed refurbishing both lines from Ebbw Vale, including the building of new stations, would cost £27 million.

He added: "It was a very unfortunate discovery that the signals were disconnected, but there is no conspiracy against Newport."

But Rosemary Butler, AM for Newport West, said bypassing the city could hit trade: "People are creatures of habit and once they start going to Cardiff and spending their money it will be difficult to get them to go to Newport."