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Thursday 11 Jun 2015

Brand new station and rail link for Ebbw Vale officially opened

Region & Route:

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

| Wales & Western

A new rail link and brand new station providing better services for passengers in Ebbw Vale was officially opened by The First Minister of Wales on Thursday.

Network Rail has installed 1.5 miles of railway track to extend the railway line to the new Ebbw Vale Town station, which is in the centre of an urban regeneration zone in the town.

The new station and extension of the railway line were opened as part of a £11.5m Welsh Government-funded project, which also includes speed improvements to the railway track.

Ebbw Vale Town station features a brand new station building, a platform approximately 150 metres in length to fit up to six train carriages, CCTV, a ticket machine, customer information screens, a waiting shelter, a help point, ticket machines and a bicycle storage area.

The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones said: "Since we reopened the Ebbw Vale rail line to passengers in 2008, the route has become a vital link for the community to access jobs and services. It has proved very popular with some 300,000 journeys annually. Our investment in new stations here and at Pye Corner this year will ensure even more people can use this service.

“This project is an important part of our investment in Phase 1 of the Metro and the improvements made to the track will allow for extra services to be introduced in the future. But the Metro is much more than just a transport project; it will be a catalyst for transforming the economic and social prospects for the south east region of Wales and improve connectivity across Wales as a whole.”

Sarah Kendall, acting route manager director for Network Rail Wales, said: "The extension of the railway line into Ebbw Vale and the brand new station helps to transform the town centre.

“It gives people in Ebbw Vale better access to employment and training opportunities in Cardiff, but it also encourages the rest of South Wales to explore what the town has to offer, including the Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone, shops and leisure facilities.

"We have worked closely with Welsh Government and Arriva Trains Wales and the project is an excellent example of partnership working to help deliver a better railway for passengers and build a station that people in Ebbw Vale can rely on and be proud of.”

Ebbw Vale Town Station is located on the Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line and will be served by the existing hourly service, with the potential for additional services to be introduced in the future.

The new station and railway track build on the success of the Ebbw Vale line, which was instantly popular when it re-opened to passengers in February 2008, after being closed for more than 40 years.

Network Rail is working on a separate project, also funded by Welsh Government, to enable a more frequent service for passengers on the Ebbw Vale line.

A new track will be laid alongside the existing track to allow for more frequent and faster journeys for passengers on the Ebbw Vale line in the future.

The Ebbw Vale frequency enhancement scheme will see improvements to Llanhilleth and Newbridge stations as well as work to double the track between Crosskeys Junction and Aberbeeg Junction. The line will also be re-signalled to allow for a more frequent service in the future.

Members of the public who have questions about the programme should call Network Rail’s 24-Hour National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41.