Members of Caerphilly County Borough’s Council’s Cabinet have lent their support to exciting proposals to expand and enhance passenger rail services in South East Wales.
The plans outline tentative proposals to extend the current freight line between Ystrad Mynach and Cwmbargoed to Dowlais Top to facilitate reinstatement of a passenger train service.
Currently, the line between Ystrad Mynach and Bedlinog/Cwmbargoed is used by freight trains carrying coal from the Miller Argent Ffos y Fran open cast site adjacent to Dowlais Top to Aberthaw power station.
As part of the SEWTA Rail Strategy 2013, new plans would see an extension to the passenger rail network to Bedlinog via Nelson and Trelewis along the existing freight line.
Caerphilly County Borough Council has worked in partnership with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council to commission further work to examine the practicality of extending the line further north to Dowlais Top, to complement the reclaimed open cast site that could eventually be home to a new terminus and development site.
Cabinet Members agreed to support the development and promotion of the scheme, in conjunction with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, and make recommendations to Welsh Government that the scheme is considered along with other rail priorities being developed in South East Wales.
Cllr Tom Williams, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, Transportation & Engineering, said: “This scheme offers numerous benefits for communities all along the suggested route, and the council is fully supportive of these proposals at this stage.”
