A ‘GET a move on’ blast has been aimed at the Welsh government over long-expected access improvements at Abergavenny’s railway station reports PAUL JAMES.

The corridors of power in Cardiff have been rattled by calls for quicker action from Monmouth Assembly Member Nick Ramsay, nudged by frustrated town councillors.

Councillors have vented their ‘concern and displeasure’ over the delays, especially with trains expected to take the strain when Abergavenny is swamped by thousands of National Eisteddfod visitors next summer.

The demand is for access to be improved to and from platforms which would save the grief many travellers experience in negotiating the footbridge.

Mr Ramsay wrote to the Welsh Government’s Transport Minister, Edwina Hart AM, after receiving a letter from the Clerk of Abergavenny Town Council, Peter Johns, who said councillors were annoyed by the delay.

The AM shares their concern.

He said, “The access problem affects not only the elderly and disabled but also younger people with small children and babies who often have no choice but to struggle to climb over the footbridge in all weathers with pushchairs, prams and luggage.”

He added, “As the town council has pointed out, many visitors will be unaware of the difficulty of crossing the railway line until they have arrived at the station and no help is available.

“I hope it will be possible to resolve this problem as a matter of urgency - and that a scheme can be put in place in time for the Eisteddfod so that visitors by train will be able to access the town without having to cross the steep footbridge.”