Monday 24 September 2012

Re-opening the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth Railway

A message from Mark Worrall who is asking the Welsh Government to consider re-opening the line, which runs through Pencader, Lampeter and Tregaron. Small sections of the line are currently run by enthusiasts (the Gwili and Henllan railways):
"Will you sign my petition to ask the Welsh Assembly to consider reopening the Carmarthen – Aberystwyth train line?
As a former student of the University of Wales /Trinity St David Lampeter, I believe passionately that more should be done to improve public transport in West Wales.
Reinstating the railway would reconnect three University campuses (Aberystwyth, Lampeter, Carmarthen), allowing people, goods and services to flow more freely between Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. Commuters, students, business people, shoppers, tourists and families all deserve a faster and more reliable public transport service than what is currently available.
Only if we get enough signatories for this petition will I be invited to put the case to the National Assembly, for debate by our elected representatives. No matter the potential difficulties or costs involved, I believe this project is vital to our future prosperity and sustainability.
Restoring the line would give us a more fluid transition between north and south Wales, reconnect local communities, and boost the Welsh economy as a whole.
Recent experience in Ebbw Vale and the Vale of Glamorgan shows that rail reopenings are successful and cost effective in the long term.
Please join me in this project by signing the petition:
Please also forward this link to your friends, colleagues, family and anyone else who would be interested.
Thank you for your support!"

7 comments:

Cibwr said...

Glad to support this, what is depressing is that there appears to be no long term plan or set of aspirations for the rail system in Wales, either from the rail authorities or from the Welsh Government. The reopening of the Carmarthen to Aber Railway is one of those strategic links that needs to be reinstated. The track bed is largely there, with very little new work it could be done.

towy71 said...

More than happy to support this, it is time that we switched more transport to rail!

Jac o' the North, said...

I have supported this idea for many years. In fact, I wrote in July to Cheryl Gillan (then Secretary of State for Wales) suggesting such a project, with copies to Andrew R T Davies and EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn, responsible for regional funding.

Though the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth stretch should be complemented by a link between Porthmadog and Bangor. This would give Wales a genuine north - south line entirely within the country.

It would also relieve the pressure on the inadequate road system that struggles to cope with traffic levels, especially in summer.

This project has a lot to recommend it. One obstacle to ois implementation will be that there are no obvious or immediate benefits for Cardiff, so the Welsh Government is unlikely to be interested.

So my advice would be to ignore Cardiff and take the matter to the UK government and the EU. For the former is showing interest in railways and latter has expressed exasperation at how successive administrations in Cardiff have squandered two rounds of top level funding on the third sector and other delusions.

Jack Old Oak said...

It will never happen - due to resistance from vested interests - eg the bus companies (arriva etc)

kp said...

If this really is a good idea someone/some company in the private sector needs to be encouraged to take the project forward.

Railways and government doesn't mix, just as the car industry and government did not mix. Never has and never will.

Private sector, private sector. With state involvement kept to an absolute minimum.

G Horton-Jones said...

Sorry I missed the petition
I understand that there has been a response from the Welsh Government Is it available if so where?
Carmarthen to LLandeilo seems to offer a better option in the short term
No mention of Gwilli railway and its assets in the equation
No mention of volunteers aka Welsh Highland experience
No mention of potential freight traffic ie biomass transport
No mention of the enormous boost to job creation if the project is properly planned

Unknown said...

A recent carmarthen journal article, stated that the petition was on 38degrees.org.uk - I could not find it, but it was on the Welsh Assembly site, but is marked CLOSED. My family used this line for many decades. Let us hope that the political willpower is there to rebuild it.