Park and ride plans ‘in limbo’

A COMMUNITY waiting almost 20 years for a park-and-ride scheme has been “left in limbo” after rail electrification was ditched.

Brackla in Bridgend was first earmarked for a new railway station in 2001.

The Welsh Government Environment Minister at the time, Sue Essex, even held a turf-cutting ceremony.

But 16 years later the community is still waiting, with only a closed-off car park to show for its patience.

And now it’s feared the UK Government’s decision not to electrify the mainline between Cardiff and Bridgend – which Brackla sits next to – throws the scheme into further doubt.

Stephen Joseph, chief executive officer of national lobby group Campaign for Better Transport said: “The latest Government announcement leaves communities like Brackla in limbo.

“South Wales has been promised an upgraded rail line, but it’s now unclear whether or when any of this will happen. The Welsh Government needs to work with the Department for Transport to make progress on the Brackla plan and come up with a joint strategy to give certainty to communities in south Wales about the future of their rail line.”

Over the years the Brackla plan has suffered setbacks, with work postponed due to capacity issues on the main line and the building of other stations, including Llanharan just a few miles away, being prioritised.

But Brackla was included in the South Wales Metro plan.

Last year a 26-space car park was built on scrub land between the rear of houses and the South Wales Main Line at Erw Hir (Longacre) after phase one of the park-and-ride scheme was approved by council planners.

At the time, Councillor Hailey Townsend said the authority had to spend £308,000 secured from the developers of the Erw Hir estate to build the car park and take up the option to purchase land either side of the railway track for just £1 from Zurich before the time limit on the agreement ran out.

“We would’ve lost the £308,000 if we hadn’t started this work by December 31,” she said at the time.

“And we would’ve lost land either side of the railway line as well which has been given to us for £1.”

She said it was important the land either side of the railway track was owned by the council as there are plans to build a footbridge over the tracks in future, which would provide the first safe pedestrian Industrial Estate.

A Welsh Government spokesman said Brackla was not on the list of new stations they announced recently.

He added: “We are in the process of competitive dialogue to determine the next operator of rail services in Wales and the Borders from October 2018 as well as taking forward key aspects of the next stage of Metro. We cannot comment on the details whilst this process is ongoing.” access to Bridgend