Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Improvements are being made to the Gwili Railway at Bronwydd near Carmarthen. Work has started on road access and a car park for the new railway station at Abergwili Junction, located close to Glangwili Hospital. Plans are in place to open the railway's extension to Abergwili Junction by 2015. The railway hopes to open half of the new extension, a distance of just over a mile, before October. Carmarthenshire County Council’s Leader Cllr Kevin Madge was invited to cut the first sod at a turf cutting ceremony to celebrate the start of work. Pictured cutting the first sod for the improvement works are Geoff Richards - Director, Gwili Railway, Dewi Jones - Gwili Railway, Glyn Evans - Chairman, Bronwydd Community Council, Irfon Jones Cynwyl Elfed, County Councillor, Cllr Pam Palmer, Deputy Leader CCC, Barry Williams Deputy Mayor of Carmarthen, Peter Nicholas Chairman, Gwili Railway Co, Cllr Kevin Madge Leader CCC, Steven Caws Gwili Railway.

Welsh Government plans to build a motorway across the Gwent Levels could quash any hope of electrification of the Valleys Lines. That’s the view of environmental coalition, the Campaign Against the Levels Motorway (CALM). Recent controversy [1] over who pays for electrification of the Valleys Lines could mean that the Welsh Government ends up being faced with a choice between footing the £400 million electrification bill [2] and building a motorway. CALM Spokesperson Gareth Clubb said: “If UK Government Ministers are to be believed, the Welsh Government has agreed to pay for electrification of the Valleys Line. But at the same time, Edwina Hart is pushing ahead with plans to build a hugely expensive, environmentally destructive motorway through the Gwent Levels. “The Welsh Government hasn’t got a bottomless pot of money for transport projects. At some point it’s going to have to make a choice. So will it choose a motorway of questionable benefit for the few, or better public transport ...

The approaches to Bynea Station have been given a makeover. The £20,000 scheme has improved the immediate area adjacent to the rail station access for bus and rail users. The work was part funded by Welsh Government and ERDF through the National Station Improvement Programme grant awards. Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member for transport services, Cllr Colin Evans, said the work had been completed to a high standard to provide pedestrian safety and the potential to connect rail and bus journeys. He said: “It is great to see that the council’s transport and engineering team have enthusiastically enabled this work and that the authority has given up land to enhance the scheme.” Local member Cllr Deryk Cundy said the scheme had been well received by residents too. He said: “There is a great all round improvement in the station area from a visibility point of view, provision of a new crossing point and installing a missing footpath link on the northern platform sta...

Boost to Chepstow train services (From South Wales Argus) A new direct train service will link Monmouthshire with destinations in west Wales. Arriva Trains Wales announced the new route which will see trains travelling from Chepstow, Caldicot and Severn Tunnel Junction to and from Llanelli, Carmarthen and Fishguard. The direct route will run every day, with one train in each direction.

Network Rail work on replacing Piano Bridge in Lower Trostre Road, Llanelli, will be extended into May. It had been forecast that the busy road serving Llanelli’s coastal road from Trostre Park - closed since January - would be re-opened by the end of April. Bad weather and unexpected water and sewerage pipework replacement problems have caused a delay of up to a month. The double bridge spans the main London to Fishguard rail line and a bank of disused sidings. Under the conditions of their licence agreement contractors are obliged to work, whenever possible, at times that cause the least disruption to train services. The demolition and reconstruction of the railway and sidings bridge has taken place and the restorations of services and finishing works are in their final stages. Weather proofing of the construction has to be completed and this has to be undertaken in good weather conditions which means the work will be completed and the road reopened sometime from the middle to...

Carillion gets Loughor viaduct replacement | Contract News | The Construction Index Network Rail has awarded Carillion Construction a £15.6m contract to replace a viaduct over the Loughor estuary. The Loughor viaduct replacement scheme is part of a £40m upgrade to rail infrastructure between Swansea and Gowerton, announced last month. Carillion will design and build the new viaduct, carrying two tracks along the current alignment.

Carmarthenshire councillors want more answers from Network Rail on issues such as bridge maintenance, fly-tipping and flood defence. Representatives from Network Rail’s Western and Wales Routes attended a meeting of Carmarthenshire's Environment Scrutiny Committee following concerns raised by members. They gave a presentation on the remit and responsibilities of Network Rail in relation to fly-tipping, graffiti, bridge maintenance, road surfaces at level crossings, safety issues caused by coastal erosion and flood defence. The committee was told that Network Rail was responsible for 900 miles of track in Wales alone and that fly-tipping and litter clearance cost the company £2.3 million a year to remove. Robin Basu, community relations manager for the Western and Wales Routes, said barrier crossings were inspected every seven to 13 weeks; and that bridges received a visual inspection every year and a more detailed examination every six years. In relation to flood defence, Network R...