Railway Services in Islwyn

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:40 pm on 24 September 2019.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 2:40, 24 September 2019

Well, Llywydd, thanks to Rhianon Passmore for, once again, pointing to the improvements that are coming the way of citizens living in Islwyn, and the fact that we are committed to delivering direct rail links between Newport and Ebbw Vale, as part of the new Wales and borders franchise, demonstrates that when these decisions are in our hands we are able to make them in a way that is both designed in Wales and delivers benefits for people in Wales.

Constituents in Islwyn will start to see the introduction of class 170 trains from December of this year. The outline business case for the Ebbw Vale line is at the third stage in its development process and well under development. And, as far as the £194 million station improvement programme of Transport for Wales, it will see in Islwyn, as elsewhere, free Wi-Fi, new passenger information, improved cycle storage facilities, deep cleaning at every station under the control of Transport for Wales, and citizens in the Member's constituency in Risca, Crosskeys and Newbridge will see all those advantages too.