Re-open railway line - call (From Campaign Series)

Re-open railway line - call

4:51pm Monday 9th June 2008

• Print
• Email
• Share

A COUNCILLOR and Caerphilly resident have called for the Machen to Newport railway line to re-open to passengers to ease traffic congestion.

Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen Councillor Ray Davies has been calling the line to re-open for some time and now with traffic jams at an all time high he thinks now is the time to act.

Another supporter is Tola Munro, of East View in Caerphilly feels that there is so much traffic on the road and no sign of it reducing that the line is needed.

He said: "There are too many cars travelling to Newport each week day morning so that Forge Lane in particular is gridlocked. If the line is opened it would take some of the cars off the road.

"I recently discovered the old railway lines linking Caerphilly to Machen, and Machen to Bedwas via Trethomas. I was surprised how much of it was left, and in good condition. I understand from a friend of mine that it probably still belongs to the train companies.

"I, like many residents of Caerphilly have spent many a happy hour travelling to Newport or Cwmbran on the A468! After being stuck on the car park that passes for Forge Lane I gave up and for most of the time I have lived in the borough I have used the lanes around Rudry & Draethen.

Councillor Ray Davies said: "The time is now to open the line up and make good use of it.

"There is so much traffic and with the newly re-opened Ebbw Vale line a success, it is a perfect time to open this lien as well.

"The line is currently used by a quarry."

Mr Munro continued: "I also noticed during my wanderings that the population Waterloo is about to increase by 200 percent! Waterloo is between the two old train routes from Caerphilly. It is also just a stone's throw from the old line that runs between Machen & Trethomas.

"How the people in these 450 odd homes with their 900 plus cars are going to affect the A468 and lanes - surely no one can know for definite.

"My suggestion is to extend the old line past Bedwas, and straight across the river Rhymney to the fields behind Corbetts Lane. Create a station and a super car park with access to the Trehir/Coedybrain roundabout.

"This would provide easy access for the people living in the Rhymney valley as well as Caerphilly residents etc.

"Or, perhaps re-open the link all the way up to Maes-y-Cwmmer with a new station in walking distance of the new hospital so that both staff & patients could benefit."

• Print
• Email
• Share