TRADERS and politicians in Gwent are calling on new transport minister Carl Sargeant to take urgent action to open the Ebbw Vale railway line to Newport.

Their plea comes as new figures from Arriva Trains Wales show 2,051,000 passengers used the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line since it opened in February 2008.

But while the capital is reaping the benefits of the increased footfall, Newport is suffering, says the city council and local traders.

Network Rail submitted a feasibility study on the railway line to the Assembly last month, awaiting the new transport minister.

Now he is in post council leader Matthew Evans wants action, saying he is frustrated and angry the city is being sidelined. He urged Mr Sargeant to make the opening of the line a priority and tell the people of Newport when they can expect to see the “much needed service” delivered.

He said: “It is extremely disappointing that we are still waiting for the line to open and even more so when you hear that more than two million people have used the line to get to Cardiff.

“We knew signalling work needed on the line had to be completed and it has, but there is still no sign of work starting. We have heard excuse after excuse about why it hasn’t started and the original proposal was for the line to be into Newport not Cardiff.

Cardiff is reaping the benefit and I am frustrated and angry Newport is being put on the side line.” City trader Paul Jones, of Newport lighting shop Arnold’s, said: “It’s a definite must really, we get a lot of business from the Valleys but they can’t get the train. It’s a lot of people by-passing us for Cardiff.”

Ian Harding, of Tracks Coffee House, said: “I would appeal to them to do something as soon as possible.” Angela Jones, who runs Newport Arcade cafe The Pot, fears it is already too late for Newport, because people had got used to travelling to Cardiff.

She said: “Newport is dying. We have got to try and do something.”

Laura-Buchnan Smith, president of Newport Chamber of Trade, described the rail link as a “lifeline” for Newport adding: ”We need to get as many people as we can into Newport.”

Ebbw Vale North councillor Don Wilcox said additional links between Ebbw Vale and the M4 area were bound to be beneficial for the Heads of the Valleys area, while Ebbw Vale Festival Park manager Gareth Thomas said it would bring in whole new range of customers to the area.

An Assembly spokesman said Mr Sargeant, who will be responsible for transport under his local government portfolio, would have an opportunity to look at transport issues facing Wales after he was sworn in yesterday.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: Rail action not words

WEMAKE no apology for returning to an issue which we have covered countless times over the past nine years.

And that is because we have no intention of ever giving up on our campaign to bring the Valleys railway line directly to Newport.

Our resolve has only strengthened since the line opened from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff, as its huge success has perfectly illustrated what a lost opportunity this whole episode represents for Newport.

Our message to the new transport minister at the Assembly, Carl Sargeant, is very simple. Now is the time for action and not words.

All the arguments in favour of the Ebbw Vale to Newport rail link are well rehearsed. They have not changed one iota over the past nine years. And they have wide support here from politicians across the divide and at all levels, traders at both ends of the north-south rail line and local business leaders who all see the sense in opening this line.

Now the arguments have been backed up by statistics. Since the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line opened more than two million passengers have used it.

That is hundreds of thousands of passengers by-passing Newport.

This is not just about supporting our city centre shops, although the potential extra shoppers would of course be welcome.

But it is also about opening up job opportunities to people in the Valleys and, of course, encouraging visitors to the Valleys.

The Assembly has had a feasibility study for over a month now, but it has been aware of the arguments for much longer. The time for excuses is long gone.