PLANS to reopen the Aberystwyth-Carmarthen railway line have been cast into doubt following the vote to leave the EU, according to Assembly Member Elin Jones.

Campaigners felt last week that the reintroduction of the line had moved a step closer, after it was revealed a report into the economic case has been commissioned.

But after the referendum result, Miss Jones warned that withdrawal from the EU will make large projects such as this more challenging to realise in Wales.

Due to the Welsh Assembly Elections in May, there has been a spell of uncertainty since a meeting of interested parties was convened in February by Edwina Hart, the then-Welsh Government Minister for Economy and Transport.

The meeting, which reportedly “went very well”, found agreement that the best way forward was to commission 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.

There was further uncertainty for Traws Link Cymru, the group campaigning to reopen the line, after Ms Hart announced she was not standing for re-election and Ken Skates AM was given her job under the new title Minister for Economy and Infrastructure.

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