Plan for new railway line that could increase network capacity

A NEW railway line in Newport for the storage of trains during major events could be in operation by 2022 - with work starting as early as next year - it has been revealed.

The 2.4km long single track, near the former Llanwern Steelworks, is planned to provide a staging area to provide increased capacity on the rail network.

Passenger trains would be deployed during periods of high demand, including rugby matches and concerts at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.

The plans form the first part of a Transport for Wales scheme for a new £50m railway station at Llanwern, as part of the proposed South Wales Metro.

A scoping opinion, which is usually submitted before a planning application, has been lodged with Newport council for the second phase of the plans for a new major events stabling line (MESL).

The electrified line would require the building of an overhead contact system, with masts measuring up to 6.6-metres in height and cables installed at a height of 5.2-metres.

Building work is expected to take place in late 2021, with the scheme coming into operation by the end of 2022.

When not in use as a stabling line, it could also be used for the testing of trains.

The line would be connected to the existing Tata Steel service lines and, in future, to the Relief Lines, a report says.

A scoping report sets out some of the environmental considerations of the scheme, with the site characterised by woodland and also hydrologically-linked to the Gwent Levels.

Potential effects include damage to woodland and to protected species or their habitats, according to the scoping report.

The trains in operation could also disturb surrounding habitats and species through noise, vibrations, lighting and air quality impacts.

But mitigation measures are proposed - such as appropriate timing of works and “sensitive working measures” - to “avoid or minimise” loss of any woodland, reens or other habitats.

Visual impact assessments will also be carried out, due to “possible significant effects” from the project.

“The scale of the scheme is small in relation to the scale of the existing South Wales Mainline, the Llanwern Steelworks and the Glan Llyn Regeneration Site,” a report says.

“However, a belt of trees and scrub vegetation would be lost during construction, potentially opening up views of the scheme and the steelworks site to the south.”