Trains


have
started
running
again
between
Ebbw
Vale
Town
and
Newport,
after
a
long
project
to
upgrade
the
line
so
that
it
had
enough
capacity
for
Newport
services
as
well
as
those
to
Cardiff
Central.

Deputy
climate
change
minister
Lee
Waters
is
launching
the
new
service
today
at
Llanhilleth
station.

Thirty
trains
a
day
will
now
run
between
Newport
and
Ebbw
Vale,
after
the
Welsh
Government
lent
£70
million
to
Blaenau
Gwent
County
Borough
Council
to
pay
for
infrastructure
improvements,
which
included
more
passing
loops.

Lee
Waters
said:
‘I’m
so
pleased
the
service
between
Ebbw
Vale
and
Newport
is
finally
in
place.
It
has
taken
a
long
time
and
required
a
lot
of
investment
but
the
doubling
of
the
frequency
of
trains
will
make
a
difference
to
all
the
communities
along
the
route.
This
would
not
have
happened
without
the
Welsh
Government
stepping
in
with
investment.

‘At
a
time
when
we
are
used
to
big
infrastructure
projects
going
over
time
and
over
budget
we
should
applaud
the
fact
this
complicated
project
has
been
on
time
and
within
budget.
My
huge
thanks
to
Blaenau
Gwent
council,
Network
Rail
and
Transport
for
Wales
for
working
together
to
pull
this
off.

Passenger
services
to
Ebbw
Vale
restarted
in
2008
after
they
had
been
withdrawn
in
1962.
Stations
were
reopened
at
Rogerstone,
Risca
and
Pontymister,
Crosskeys,
Newbridge,
Llanhilleth
and
then
at
a
new
park
and
ride
site,
Ebbw
Vale
Parkway.

New
trains
are
due
to
be
introduced
on
the
line
in
the
spring.