NEWPORT traders welcomed the call from a Gwent Assembly Member to reopen a Newport rail station as part of the Ebbw Valley railway line.

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

Traders in the city’s centre and market agreed.

Rob Porter, owner of The Wardrobe in Friars Street, said: "Without a doubt it would help. Anything that helps Newport, we have got to have it to bring more people in."

Gwen Farmer, who owns Gwen’s Shoes, Slippers and Bags in Newport Market, said: "We need the service to bring people into Newport and support us."

Lisa Martins, owner of Needham's Fishmongers in Newport Market, said: "Cardiff has improved dramatically over the past year with the new shopping centre and everything. We need to encourage people to come into Newport now so it would definitely help."

Ms Davies pressed Mr Sargeant, Minister for Local Government and Communities, saying it was vital to support local businesses and residents to jump start the local economy and to open the city up to new opportunities.

Mr Sargeant said he would be asking his officials to look into the suggestion adding that he was expecting a report from Network Rail soon on the costings for infrastructure work to develop the line further to allow trains to run to Newport.

The Ebbw Valley railway line was opened in February 2008, supported by the Argus 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.