Abergavenny Station Improvements?

[GarethGwill]

I've noticed that the old trackbed for platform 3 has been cleared of vegetation and a drainage ditch has been dug. Does anyone know if this is in preparation for the re-instatement of the permanent way? I know SEWTA commissioned a report into possible improvements to the Marches line between Abergavenny and Cardiff, which mentions the possibility of extra services between the two stations, with a third platform being re-opened to keep the line clear for freight as there is no passing loop on the down line.

Gareth.

 

[Gareth Marston]

I've noticed that the old trackbed for platform 3 has been cleared of vegetation and a drainage ditch has been dug. Does anyone know if this is in preparation for the re-instatement of the permanent way? I know SEWTA commissioned a report into possible improvements to the Marches line between Abergavenny and Cardiff, which mentions the possibility of extra services between the two stations, with a third platform being re-opened to keep the line clear for freight as there is no passing loop on the down line.

Gareth.

It should be and also electrified as part of Cardiff City Region network however there are no plans with £ attached to them at moment, plenty of £ including European money being spent a few miles up the A465 from Abergavenny though.

 

[tripleseis]

Electrification would be great with a regular 2tph service to Cardiff.

 

[anthony263]

Maybe if the Ebbw Vale - Newport service starts it could be extended to run to Abergavenny calling at the local stations.

 

[Eire Sprinter]

In my view there should be feeder bus links between Abergavenny railway station and the settlements along the Heads of the Valleys with integrated ticketing or Plusbus available - Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, Merthyr etc...

To my knowledge no bus links Abergavenny bus station with Abergavenny railway station per se (though as an aside I think a once a week bus was timetabled to terminate and start there some years ago).

The town is the best part of a fifteen minute walk away from the railway station. Some buses stop at the bottom of the station approach road but this is a quarter of a mile from the railway station. Only the stop for journeys in the out-of-town direction is adjacent to the station approach road; the town-bound stop is around 300m from the bottom of the station approach road in the out-of-town direction (as such one may as well walk the whole way from the station into town).

Some journeys on bus routes to/from Abergavenny could start and terminate at Abergavenny railway station. This would give much stronger connectivity between the rail network and the towns along the Heads of the Valleys.

There is restricted space at Abergavenny railway station for a bus to turn but a solution could possibly be devised by reconfiguring car parking spaces.

As things stand this is an issue which could be considered. Even more so if additional train services are introduced at a future date; there doesn't seem to be any obvious space near the station to create the additional parking space that additional trains would necessitate.

 

[anthony263]

Maybe those buses on service X4 Cardiff - Merthyr Tydfil - Brynmawr - Abergevenny -Hereford and X3/X33 Cardiff - Cwmbran - Pontypool - Abergevenny which terminate at Abergaveny bus stn and dont continue to Hereford could be extended to the railway station.

Maybe even stop a few of the Abergevenny Town services at the railway station if possible or if not how about introducing a bus link between Abergavenny bus stn and Railway station running via the town centre like they have in Pontypridd

 

[GarethGwill]

There are two suitable bus routes, a local service that runs between Abergavenny and Brynmawr and a service that runs between Abergavenny and Brecon. The Brynmawr service runs via Holywell Crescent which is about 200 yards from the station, accessible on foot through the north car park. The Brecon bus heads south from the bus station along Monmouth Road, past Station Road to the roundabout south of Abergavenny where the A465 skirts the south of the town, then back along Monmouth Road and through Abergavenny towards Brecon. If the proposed upgrade happens, then there could be an option to turn the north car park into a turning circle for the Brecon bus. However, there is a set of industrial units to the west of the station building which might be converted to a car park; there is potential access off Belmont Road which could be bus-only, from Monmouth Road up Belmont Road, through the car park, down Station Road and away.

Well that's what I would do, anyway.

Gareth.

 

[tripleseis]

Surely you could also extend the number 45 circular service that goes to the Llywnu Estate. Just move it's turn back point to the station.

Maybe if the Ebbw Vale - Newport service starts it could be extended to run to Abergavenny calling at the local stations.

Not a bad idea actually. Creates a regular link into Newport for people who want to go shopping there or visit the Royal Gwent and gives those Ebbw Vale trains somewhere further to go to. It would supplement the direct Cardiff services nicely.

Electric services also increases the case for a new rebuilt Caerleon station.

 

[GarethGwill]

The problem with the 45 Llwynu service is there's not much space in the timetable for the trip up to the railway station, it can be tricky getting out of Station Road. Maybe we'll hear something in the new year?

There is a case for a more frequent service to Cardiff, as for example there is no regular direct bus service to Newport, only one bus each way on a Tuesday (Newport to Abergavenny in the morning returning to Newport in the afternoon). The X33/X3 runs hourly to Cardiff but only calls at Pontypool and Cwmbran, joining the M4 at Malpas.

Gareth.