PROPOSALS for a transport interchange in Machynlleth have been resurrected – with the Welsh Government announcing funding for a study into a possible facility.

Work on an interchange was carried out in 2012 – which would have included a bus station and a larger depot for Lloyds Coaches – but appeared to have been shelved.

Machynlleth Town Council had heard from Wyn Lloyd, of Lloyds Coaches, that if the scheme was fully abandoned it could cause problems for the company’s future in the town.

While the town council had thrown its support behind Lloyds Coaches and contacted local AMs and Powys Council about the scheme, Montgomeryshire AM Russell George was also pushing for the resurrection of the scheme.

Ken Skates, the Cabinet secretary for economy and transport, has now announced that a study into a Machynlleth transport interchange will receive funding as part of a £450,000 package from the Local Transport Network Fund to look at public transport interchanges in Machynlleth, Llandrindod Wells and Welshpool.

That money will be used for a study into the proposals for interchanges and a Powys County Council spokesperson said that work is at a very early stage and that consideration would have to be given to public transport considerations and possible sites.

While the previous proposal had centred on an interchange near Machynlleth’s train station and would have included a bus station and larger depot for Lloyds Coaches, the council spokesperson said that was something that would have to be considered as part of the new study into the proposal.

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