Local MP welcomes major Welsh Government investment for Ruabon Station

Campaigners are celebrating after it was confirmed major Welsh Government investment in Ruabon Station will include funding for step-free access to both platforms.

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones and local councillor Dana Davies recently renewed calls for investment at Ruabon and urged the Welsh Government to step in to address the ‘chronic lack of investment’ that they attribute to UK Government in Westminster.

This week it was announced that part of a £15m programme of improvements to disabled access at Welsh stations will include investment at Ruabon.

Ms Jones said: “Last year I presented a petition to Parliament on behalf of the fantastic Friends of Ruabon Station which was supported by a very large number of local residents. This called for action from the UK Government, but sadly, they did not act. I am absolutely delighted that the Welsh Labour Government has now stepped in and announced this funding for Ruabon.”

Cllr Dana Davies added: “This funding is on top of the deep clean of Ruabon Station and upgrades the Welsh Government has already promised. I’m thrilled that the Welsh Labour Government are addressing the chronic lack of investment in Ruabon by the Tory Government. This is huge.”

Figures indicate £600,000 was spent on stations in the last 15 years of the Arriva franchise, with it claimed the next 15 years almost £200m will be spent improving every Welsh station – including the £15m on accessibility improvements.

As well as the investment in Ruabon, Chirk will be upgraded and Wrexham General is in line for a £2.4m ‘makeover’.

KeolisAmey has been contracted to operate the Wales and Borders rail service for the next 15 years, taking over from Arriva Trains Wales in October working with the new ‘Transport for Wales’ entity.

Other plans include doubling the delivery of a North East Wales Metro with increased frequency to two trains per hour on the Wrexham to Bidston line from December 2021.

Future plans also include:

– Frequency of Wrexham to Bidston service doubled by 2022
– Extra services from Wrexham to Cardiff and Liverpool by 2023
– Investment at Wrexham General Shotton stations by 2024
– Extra services from Wrexham to Cardiff and Liverpool by 2023