Thousands have signed a petition for a “much-needed” Bangor to Afon Wen railway line connecting to a train link across the rest of the country.

An online petition has been launched on the Senedd website calling for future rail infrastructure to enable travel from Bangor to Cardiff through the Cambrian Mountains to avoid a detour into England.

The petition, started last week by Gwynedd councillor for Blaenau Ffestiniog, Elfed Wyn ap Elwyn, has already reached 6,600 signatures and looks set to continue gaining traction.

The petition specifically asks for a feasibility study for a railway line from Bangor to the disused Afon Wen station, closed in 1964.

It also demands a commitment to spend any funding for the railways from Westminster on reinstating the railway lines – while it calls for a blueprint to be developed for the Bangor to Cardiff route, while looking at other poorly served areas of Wales.

Cllr Wyn Ap Elwyn said: “Travelling between the north and the south of Wales is always a long journey, especially when using the railway.

“If a person is travelling between Bangor and Cardiff, one must go outside of Wales on rail to be able to complete the journey.

“Wales needs to be connected internally by rail. The plan to do this would be to reopen the Bangor to Afon Wen and Aberystwyth to Carmarthen lines, and integrate them with the line from Carmarthen on to Cardiff.

“If we are looking to develop the infrastructure in Wales, and to use greener methods of travel, reinstating and reopening this railway would be a step in the right direction - and would be beneficial for all the communities situated along the railway, as well as for Wales as a nation.”

If the petition gets more than 10,000 signatures it will be considered for a debate in the Senedd.

More than 500 residents of the Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency signed the petition along with 420 from Ceredigion.

Sign the petition at petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/245416?