Thank you to everyone who attended the public meeting to campaign for a new train station in St Athan.
The most important message is to get support for a scoping study. Those present will recall that a new station for St Athan was not listed on the Welsh Government’s request to the Department for Transport. We need to change this and I am determined to see a positive campaign, rather than merely criticise Cardiff Bay politicians. Delivering the project must be the priority.
The Department for Transport will fund 75% of the cost of the scoping study and we need the Welsh Government (or possibly the Vale Council) to fund the remaining 25%.
Therefore, please write to Ken Skates AM, Welsh Minister for Transport at:
correspondence.ken.skates@gov.wales or Ty Hywel, Caridff Bay, CF99 1NA
The following paragraphs are suggestions of some of the points you may want to make.
- I am pleased that the Department for Transport is making money available to open new stations across the UK but am disappointed that you did not include a station for St Athan in your letter to the Secretary of State for Transport that highlighted your priorities in Wales.
- There has been significant development of new housing across rural parts of Vale of Glamorgan. Many commuters travel along the B4265. A train station at St Athan would remove many cars from the roads and reduce congestion through Rhoose, Barry, Wenvoe and Dinas Powys and help meet our climate change obligations.
- Many people believe that the costs of a station / stopping point would be relatively modest, with a major gain for a significant and growing community. A scoping study, where the Department for Transport could fund 75% will enable a more robust costing to be achieved. All the Vale Council would need to fund is 25%. The platforms of the former station remain, although there would be a need for wider infrastructure support.
- Although originally promised, the Vale of Glamorgan line is not being electrified under the Cardiff Metro Scheme. A train station would bring an excluded community into the ambition shown by the Capital Region.
- St Athan is a growing community where significant new housing has been built recently with more planned. It is the proposed site for a major military unit and Tathan Business Park is a key ambition for the Welsh Government.
- When the Vale of Glamorgan line was re-opened to passenger trains in 2005, it was recognised that St Athan needed a train station. Although promised by many, it has not been delivered, in spite of significant growth of the size of the community, the planned military base and Tathan Business Park. The UK Government’s commitment to build new stations is our best chance to realise our ambition.
- For many years, the Welsh Government has stated that the development of a business park in St Athan is a priority. A train station would be a significant addition.
- This is an excellent example where all political parties claim to support a station for St Athan. All that is needed is a commitment from the Welsh Government to work with the Department for Transport to deliver this project.
