03 February 2006
Ten councils in South Wales have backed a £155m rail investment blueprint to ease congestion.
The proposals include up to ten new stations, new trains and extra services over a ten-year period from 2009.
The councils' representatives on the South East Wales Transport Alliance have endorsed the report, by Jacobs Consultancy, and agreed to 'commission further technical, economic, demand and specific development work in preparation for its implementation'.
The study's proposals include more frequent services for the Rhymney Valley, Taff Vale, the new Ebbw Vale to Newport line, Abergavenny and Chepstow, and the Vale of Glamorgan; more frequent and longer trains at peak time, and five new stations at Caerleon, Magor, Llanwern, Coedkernew and St Mellons.
'The strategy improves the environment and contributes to road safety and the reduction of accidents and provides significant economic benefits,' the report's authors say.
The report is expected to go to the Welsh Assembly Government for further consideration. It would require an increase in rail subsidy of £2m to £7m a year.
Around 14 million passenger trips are made annually to and from and within the Sewta area, of which 73% involve rail travel between Cardiff and other areas.
PFfeb2006
