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New railway station near Aberystwyth given £4m UK funding

ceredigion council Artist's impression of a new railway station at Bow Street, Aberystwythceredigion council
Consultation showed "considerable support" for a new station, Ceredigion council said

Funding has been secured for a new railway station in Ceredigion after the UK government said it would provide just under £4m.

Bow Street station, on the Cambrian line north of Aberystwyth, was closed in 1965 as part of the Beeching cuts.

The Welsh Government is to provide the remaining £2.8m for the £6.8m new station.

It welcomed the news but said the UK government should increase its investment in Welsh rail.

Welsh Government made the bid for funding as a means of easing congestion in Aberystwyth.

Bow Street was one of five new stations announced on Friday, with four in England to include Warrington West in Cheshire and Portway Parkway near Bristol.

Ben Brooksbank/Geograph Bow Street station - photo © Ben BrooksbankBen Brooksbank/Geograph
The original Bow Street station in 1962 - it was closed three years later

Rail Minister Paul Maynard said the UK government was "committed to improving journeys for passengers right across the country".

"The new stations fund is a great example of how our record investment in the railways and work with local authorities and industry is delivering better journeys for passengers and boosting local economies," he said.

The proposed station, due to be completed by March 2020, would be built a short distance south of the original Bow Street station, which is now the site of a builders' merchants.

The Department for Transport said it would be up to the Welsh Government as the bidder to ensure the remainder of the funding was in place.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: "We are committed to improving rail travel for passengers right across Wales and have appealed to the UK Government for funding for a number of new rail way stations.

"While we welcome news that the UK government has now allocated funding for Bow Street, we note that the UK government has yet to allocate over £3m of its £20m fund for rail improvements.

"We continue to call on the UK government to increase its investment in Welsh rail infrastructure and would press the case for additional funding for other Welsh priority projects such as a new Cardiff Parkway station in St Mellons as well as new stations at Magor/Undy, Deeside and Wrexham."