Five new stations could be built in South East Wales and new rail services introduced, provided funding is made available.
The public is being invited to comment on the proposals.
Transport for Wales (TfW) is keen to seek feedback on designs for potential new stations at Cardiff East, Newport West, Somerton, Llanwern and Magor and Undy, especially what facilities people would like to see at each station.
TfW is also seeking views on new train services between Cardiff, Bristol and Cheltenham Spa.
Stations could see up to four trains per hour, along with increased frequencies at existing stations. The services proposed include one TfW train per hour between Cardiff, Newport and Cheltenham Spa, which will call all stations. An additional one train per hour service between Cardiff, Newport and Cheltenham Spa, calling all stations.
A 30-minute interval service between Cardiff, Newport and Bristol Temple Meads calling at all stations will be introduced to complement the existing two trains per hour ‘fast’ services.
The proposals have been developed with funding from the UK Government, part of the Union Connectivity Review. Funding for the consultation has been provided by the Welsh Government. Further funding needs to be secured to continue the development and delivery of the final plans.
If that funding becomes available, new opportunities will be unlocked for direct local and cross-border travel between both sides of the Severn. The proposals are the backbone to key recommendations of the South East Wales Transport Commission, delivered as part of the South Wales Mainline Programme.
TfW is hosting a range of drop-in events, to allowing the public opportunities to discuss the designs and service proposals with the project teams behind them.
These include:
Somerton station at Lliswery Baptist Church on 23 October, 13:00 – 19:30
Llanwern station at Llanwern Village Hall on 24 October, 12:00 – 19:30
Cardiff East (Newport Road) station at St Peters Rugby Football Club on 26 October 2023, 12:00 – 19:30
Newport West station at Maes Glas Community Centre on 6 November, 12:00 – 19:30
Llanwern station at Glan Llyn Primary School on 7 November, 16:45 – 18:30
Magor and Undy station at Magor and Undy Community Hub on 9 November, 12:00 – 19:30
The consultation is also available on: Haveyoursay.tfw.wales/sew-new-stations-and-services
Geoff Ogden, Chief Transport Planning and Development Officer, said: “Our vision for Wales is one in which we all have more opportunities to live healthier and happier lives. For us, unlocking the capability of the South Wales mainline is key to changing how people travel in the region. We’re proud to share our proposals for five new stations between Cardiff Central and Severn Tunnel Junction that together with the new services will offer more people the opportunity to travel on the railway.
We know that these designs will improve with public feedback. That’s why we’re asking people to share their thoughts.
Responses
How lovely that TFW will build 5 new stations in south wales providing 4TPH. But we in the north have 1tph pretty much wherever you go. We were promised new trains to and from Liverpool, but of course, they haven’t happened cos all the money gets spent on Cardiff.
Geoff Ogden, Chief Transport Planning and Development Officer, said: “Our vision for Wales is one in which we all have more opportunities to live healthier and happier lives.
All of us in Wales? REALLY?
Absolutely NOTHING here in Ceredigion…..have to travel miles until I can get to my nearest train station at Aberystwyth ….47 miles to be precise. The one single bus route there takes 1hr 46mins. This bus the T5 used to be hourly but is now mostly 2hourly apart from when it’s getting workers to and from work early morning and early evening and It’s not run directly by TfW but by a private contractor Richard Buses. No service on a Sunday and last bus from Cardigan to Aberystwyth train station is just gone 6pm. Last bus from Aberystwyth train station headed South is just gone 8pm …… Coming home from Manchester Airport recently was an absolute nightmare and I almost missed the last bus home.
Geoff Ogden, like many others, seems to think that Wales consists only of the South East. And then of course we were given the 20mph business with the hope that it’ll “encourage” more of us to walk or take public transport……walk 47 miles or take WHAT public transport? Where is this wonderful inclusivity for ALL in Wales to live healthier and happier lives he talks of.
He’s talking absolute poppycock !!!!!
It would be optional to electrify from Cardiff Central to Chepstow and to Swansea and to inherit the Class 379 Electrostars that are sitting doing nothing since these units were built in 2010-11 and were used on Stansted Express services and on Greater Anglia West Anglia service. Before they were replaced by the Class 745/1 and Class 720.
Living in Lydney Gloucestershire I wonder why our staion is TFW and not CX We have awful facilities ( read that as non ) the extra car parking ahs been taken away so people ar eback to parking on the road and the so calle dnew waiting space ( effectively a bus shelter0 is already suffering ) On the plus side the train service is OK but an hourly service would I think bring in more passengers ( assuming that there was adequate parking ) and take cars off of teh A48 We feel liek the poor ralation
Will the track from Bristol Parkway / Filton down to Temple Meads be electrified to allow use of EMUs rather than DMUs on these services? The improved acceleration of electric traction would help offset the increased time due to additional stops. Given that this was planned then “postponed” it would be a good idea to spend some of the HS2 money on this.
Travelled to Newport from Abergavenny on Thursday.
Train 27 minutes late and absolutely fithy.
Return Train reasonably ok
The journey from Ludney, Chepstow and Caldicot to Cardiff is already pretty long. Adding in another 5 new stations between them isn’t going to improve connectivity, it’ll extend journey times to a point where we’d rather drive to Bristol as it’d be quicker!
Here we go again what about the longstanding proposal for Caerleon Station. All talk no action lost opportunity for reduction in M4 traffic flows around the tunnels. All talk about using public transport, where is it particularly since current politics is antimotorist. This station has been talked about for the last 30 years + site available but no guts to deliver. Await return to Stone age transport and living in caves.
Extend what they’ve got????? Waters, Drskeford and the rest if the crew can’t run what they’ve got. TFW has been voted the worst Train Operating Company in the Country. Not Wales………..THE U.K.
TfW are useless have sent tbe 175s their best unit off leaving rusty 150s and 153s on most services in West Wales. Yesterday rode a 197 and it’s a downgrade on the 175
I agree, the new class 197s are awful units. Uncomfortable seats and an awful ride. I’m almost tempted to say “bring back the pacers”.
Everything is for South Wales nothing in mid wales if you want to keep the economy going do all of Wales
TfW shouldn’t be allowed to do anything new until they have proved they can run what they have! Those of us who live in rural Wales have to put up with a litany of cancelled, part-cancelled and late trains mostly due to a lack of crew and management incompetence such as sending Class 175 units down the Central Wales line. When you only have 5 trains per day spaced at three to five hour intervals, one missing makes journeys impossible.
Fully agree. It appears that nothing of importance exists in the West of Wales either. Everything stops at Cardiff!
It has benn brought to my attention that tha associated map with the consultation does not feature Pilning station although I appreciate this is not one of the 5 stations considered. It does however contribute to the current network and could be part of supporting accessibility to a wider network and could be featured for full view.
Thank you