THE first meeting held since a report into reopening the Aberystwyth-Carmarthen railway line was published “went very well”, say campaigners.

Following the publication of an initial scoping study in December, which found that more than 97 per cent of the original track bed was undeveloped, the Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, Edwina Hart convened a workshop of interested parties to find consensus on the next steps.

Held last Tuesday, the meeting is said to have gone “very well” with all parties agreeing to allow consultants and authors of the scoping study, AECOM, to report back at the end of February with a WelTAG appraisal — a formal appraisal framework for infrastructure development in Wales — before consensus can be reached on whether to advise the Minister to commission a full feasibility study.

Among those present at the meeting were representatives of the Welsh Government, Ceredigion County Councillor Alun Williams, Adrian Kendon and Michael Walker of campaign group Trawslink Cymru, and Claire Falkiner of AECOM.

Mr Walker told the Cambrian News he was happy with how “productive” the meeting was and said he hoped the feasibility study could now be commissioned before purdah — the period immediately before elections or referendums when specific restrictions on the activity of civil servants are in place — comes into force for the Welsh Assembly Elections.

He said: “I thought it went very well — it was very productive and very well attended by representatives of different organisations and constituencies.

“We would hope that the WelTAG comes back with a positive appraisal and in time for us to be in a position to advise the Minister in March before purdah is in force.”

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