Newport Council has backed calls for a railway station in Caerleon, east of Newport, despite the town not being included in the Burns Commission’s recommendations
Caerleon in Newport, where a council meeting has heard the town is generally behind a move for a railway station (Image: WalesOnline/Rob Browne)
People living in a quaint Roman town in Wales are generally behind a move to reopen an old railway station there due to a traffic nightmare, a council meeting has heard. Supporters of a potential reopening of the old station at Caerleon in east Newport believe it could help ease “chronic” congestion and attract more visitors to the town’s famous Roman heritage sites.
Newport City Council has requested that the town be considered in national plans to revamp public transport which includes constructing a series of new stations along the south Wales main line. Caerleon’s station, which closed to passengers in 1962, still retains key infrastructure according to Cllr Stephen Cocks.
He told a council meeting on Wednesday of the overwhelming public support for the project, saying it “almost sounds like a North Korean election result”. For the biggest stories in Wales first, sign up to our daily newsletter
Council leader Cllr Dimitri Batrouni described backing calls for a new station as a “no-brainer”, particularly given the town’s roads can become “very busy” during peak times.
He said a station would provide Caerleon with the necessary infrastructure to support its current population and potential future growth.
The Burns Commission’s recommendations to enhance the regional travel network following the cancellation of the M4 relief road project could see five new railway stations built along the main line including three in Newport.
While the council motion welcomed the proposals as a “significant investment in regional connectivity” it has now requested that Caerleon be included in future plans.
Cllr Rhian Howells, the cabinet member for infrastructure, referred to the town as one of Newport’s “jewels in the crown”. She said a new rail link would provide “a huge boost”.
But Cllr Matthew Evans, the opposition leader, expressed scepticism that the project would alleviate motorway congestion, arguing that this issue could only be addressed by constructing the relief road.
He said while the council’s Conservative group would back the motion, he cautioned councillors not to “don’t hold your breath” for the completion of a Caerleon station, referencing the lengthy process it took to reopen the line between Newport and Ebbw Vale.
In response, Caerleon councillor Jason Hughes acknowledged that campaigners had already embarked on a “long journey” to secure a new station, but emphasised that “sometimes you have to stay in the fight and keep going”.
He noted that “Caerleon has a history of traffic issues, it’s not a new problem,” and said a new station would play an “integral part” in attracting visitors.
Cllr Cocks commended members of TRACS (Towards Restoring A Caerleon Station) for their campaign efforts and stressed that it was “absolutely essential” to gain the city council’s backing for the project if it were to progress further.
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