Following a 24-year campaign, Carno residents are asking candidates to commit to reopening the long-fought-for station ahead of Senedd elections on 7 May.
The Cambrian Line runs through Carno station which closed 63 years ago, stopping at Caersws and through to Machynlleth without pausing at the abandoned Carno platforms.
In 2002, residents picked up the campaign and have not stopped since, getting close in 2020 after it was listed as one of four stations that could reopen, but the Welsh Labour government was unsuccessful in securing funding from Westminster.
The new Welsh government will likely submit again to the New Station Fund, however the Welsh Labour government had not included Carno on their shortlist.
A spokesperson for the Carno Station Action Group said: “We were outraged at this sudden and complete reversal of policy.
“The reopening of Carno station would reinvigorate the local economy by improving access to jobs and further education for our community.
“We are keen to get a clear commitment from the candidates that they will back the station re-opening if elected.”
Current Member of Senedd Russell George, who is running as an independent having previously represented the Conservatives, asked Senedd last month about reopening Carno station.
He added that he would “continue to support the reopening - we now need to see firmer commitments from the next Welsh government on delivering”.
Welsh Labour said it “remained committed” to reopening Carno, having just secured funding to reopen seven other stations in the north and south.
They stated the £14bn commitment from the Westminster Labour government will see investment into rail across Wales, including improvements to the Cambrian Line that will “unlock capacity for the future construction of new stations such as Carno”.
Reform UK candidate Andrew Griffin said he “in principle” supports improving rail connectivity to communities like Carno, adding that he “understands why the re-opening of Carno station matters so much to the wider community”.
However, he said Reform UK wouldn’t seek extra funding for rail, instead “working within the existing capital spending framework for rail”.
Jeremy Davies, candidate for Gwlad, congratulated the Carno Station Action Group on its progress, stating that he would “certainly champion Carno Station’s reopening if elected”.
He added that on a recent rail journey, he was disappointed the train didn’t stop at Llanbrynmair station either, and that a station would be “a real asset for improving access to jobs, education, and opportunities”.
Plaid Cymru candidate and Powys County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan said as a local resident, he fully supported the longstanding campaign, adding that it was “further testimony” that the funding owed from the HS2 project “should come to Wales to enable us to invest in our infrastructure to reflect the needs of our communities”.
A Welsh Conservative spokesperson referenced their ex-members' support for Carno station and, whilst not stating their intentions directly, said they “believe improving transport connectivity is key to driving economic growth, particularly in rural communities”.
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