Does Caerleon need a new railway station, six decades on?
Last week, Transport for Wales unveiled designs for new stations[1] in Cardiff East (Newport Road), Newport West, Somerton, Llanwern, and Magor and Undy.
The last time passengers boarded a train at Caerleon was in 1962 and it is still possible to see the old station below the bridge on Lodge Road.
Development plans advocated for the re-opening of a station as recently as 2015 but attention has turned to locations such as Newport West, Somerton and Llanwern instead.
The proposals are a key part of the South East Wales Transport Commission’s mission to deliver an “integrated network[2]” of travel in the region and alleviate congestion on the roads.
Welsh Conservative shadow minister for transport Natasha Asghar, who also represents South Wales East in the Senedd, said: “Whilst I welcome plans for these five new stations, it’s vital that residents and commuters in Caerleon are not forgotten about.
“Traffic is a major issue in and around the town and a railway station would help alleviate the issue, whilst also boosting the area’s connectivity.
“Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay have been letting rail passengers down for far too long and that’s got to change. Caerleon needs a railway station, and the community needs clarity urgently over future plans.”
Former Senedd candidate for Newport West Michael Enea added: “Traffic, improved transport links, infrastructure came out on top of people’s concerns in Caerleon.”
Census data suggests Caerleon became less crowded between 2011 and 2021, against the grain of Newport as a whole where population density increased by 9.5 per cent.
Despite this, the town is home to St Cadoc’s Hospital, Celtic Manor Resort and the National Roman Legion Museum, which attracted more than 51,000 visitors in 2022/23 alone.
Bryan Hollister, 81, of Rogerstone said: “With the expanding community, I feel a station is needed.
“They are trying to get people off the roads and to do that, you need better public transport. It is the way forward. There will be more people living here in the coming years.”
Laura Burton, 41, visiting from Bristol, said: “They are actually building a station near where I live.
“It would be great if we could come somewhere like this on the train.
“It seems like there are a lot of cars for quite a small area. I don’t think building a train station is ever a bad idea.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said TfW is currently undertaking a Metro Enhancement Framework study which will look at the possibility of introducing new stations on the Marches Line, alongside bus and active travel options between Caerleon and Newport.
They said: “We are pleased that Natasha Asghar welcomes the additional funding announced for Transport for Wales last week which will help to safeguard services that are valued by passengers and the communities they serve.”
References
- ^ new stations (www.southwalesargus.co.uk)
- ^ integrated network (www.southwalesargus.co.uk)