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Monday 18 Mar 2024

MP for Monmouth sees progress on accessible footbridge at Abergavenny station

Region & Route:

Wales & Western

| Wales & Western: Wales & Borders

Construction is under way at Abergavenny and five other stations on the Wales and Borders route as Network Rail works to make them fully accessible for the first time.

Abergavenny, Cwmbran, Llanelli, Flint and Newtown stations are all set to get new footbridges with lifts, while Ludlow station will see a lift added to its existing footbridge.

All the work is due to be completed by early 2025.

Network Rail welcomed Monmouth MP David Davies to Abergavenny station on Friday (15 March) to show him the progress and discuss upcoming work.  

Abergavenny station serves half a million passengers each year and was awarded funding in 2019 as part of a national £300m investment to improve access across the network through the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme.

Network Rail’s contractor Centregreat has been on site in Abergavenny since December 2023, preparing for the piling work to take place.

An access road was built off the A465 so materials and machinery can be transported to site without impacting the community or passengers using the station. 

David Davies, who is also Secretary of State for Wales, said: “I was delighted to visit Abergavenny station alongside local county councillor Maureen Powell to see the work taking place as part of the UK Government’s Access for All programme. 

“This project has been a long time coming and it’s great to see these essential upgrades getting underway to allow an accessible path for passengers using Abergavenny station between platforms 1 and 2.

“This investment, not only in Monmouthshire but across the Wales and Borders route, is a testament to our ambition of ensuring everyone has equal access to our transport network.

“I am particularly pleased Councillor Powell was able to join me and view the scheme coming to fruition, given all of the campaigning she has done for it over many years.”

Nick Millington, route director for Network Rail Wales and Borders, said: “We were pleased to welcome David Davies to Abergavenny station to see the progress being made.

“The accessibility improvements we are making mean all passengers – including those with limited mobility, those carrying heavy luggage or those with pushchairs – will have a step-free and accessible route to and between platforms 1 and 2.

“Greater accessibility and safety benefits everyone and promotes the use of the rail network, allowing for fewer car journeys, less congestion and fewer carbon emissions.”

Councillor Maureen Powell, ward member for Pen-y-Fal, said: “After this lengthy time and some complications, we are at last going to have our new footbridge which is the goal we have all been working towards.

“It will be a great help to disabled passengers, people with young children, college students coming home with large suitcases – in fact, everyone will benefit!”