A GWENT Assembly Member called for a Newport rail station to be reopened as part of the Ebbw Valley railway line.

South Wales East AM Jocelyn Davies pressed Assembly Minister Carl Sargeant to reopen the Maesglas halt to help provide a much-needed shuttle service to parts of the city.

Ms Davies said she was raising the issue following inquiries from constituents. Mr Sargeant, Minister for Local Government and Communities, said he would be asking his officials to look into the suggestion.

He said: “I am expecting a report from Network Rail shortly on the costings for infrastructure work to develop the line further to allow trains to run to Newport.

“However, I thank the member for sharing the detail of the suggestion to open the halt at Maesglas. I will ask my officials to consider it.”

Ms Davies said: “It is important we keep all options open and we must be creative in how we overcome the signalling problems in Newport.

She added: “It is vital that the Welsh Government work tirelessly to support local businesses and residents to jump start the local economy. Extending the line to Newport would open the city up to new opportunities.”

In November 2007, we reported how Newport Unlimited were investigating the prospect of another railway station on the Whiteheads/Monkbank site to bring passengers from the Valleys closer to the city centre.

The Ebbw Valley railway line was opened in February 2008, supported by the Argus Get Us Back On Track campaign.

The £30million project saw the reopening of 18 miles of existing freight track to provide hourly passenger services from Ebbw Vale to Cardiff.

In the first year alone, 573,442 journeys were made using the line.

EDITORIAL COMMENT: On the right lines

WE fully support calls for a rail halt to be reopened in Newport as part of the Ebbw Valley railway line.

South Wales East AM Jocelyn Davies wants to see the Maesglas halt reopened to provide a shuttle service to the city.

We believe anything is better than what we currently have.

It would be vital any train service from the valleys into Maesglas would run in conjunction with a bus service which would then take people into the city, all on one ticket.

The madness of the current situation where people from the valleys are going into Cardiff to catch a train to get to London and then passing back through Newport is all too evident.

The idea of at least reopening a service into Newport is a good one and deserves the full attention of those that have the power to make it happen.