Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Lindsay Whittle has welcomed comments from a highly regarded transport expert questioning the need for a new £33m transport interchange in Caerphilly.
In his blog, Professor Mark Barry said that while Caerphilly station was tired and lacking some basic facilities he asked whether it needed a £33m revamp.
Lindsay Whittle, who represents Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili, Rhymni, is calling for an urgent rethink by Transport for Wales and has urged ministers to review the proposed scheme.
Lindsay Whittle, who opposes demolition of the existing Victorian ticket office as part of the development said: “I understand officials say it’s not unique. I beg to disagree. I recently posted a social media post and that has attracted 81,000 views, and hundreds of supportive comments. Quite frankly, the whole town is outraged.
“The ticket office is unique now as so many others have been demolished. We have lost a school that was built in the late 1800s, our old police station, a number of old banks, a cobblers shop from the 1700s and the old Clive Hotel, a magnificent building.
“This is the last of the 100 year old buildings with the exception of Caerphilly Castle, a chapel and the old Courthouse.
“If we as a market town are to attract visitors to the new development using public money at Caerffili castle then the most off-putting impression of a glass monstrosity of a design will turn people away.”
In his blog transport expert Professor Mark Barry questioned the need for a £33m transport interchange in Caerphilly.
He wrote: “Recent comments and statements from Lindsay Whittle MS really brought this home to me – and I think he is mostly right re: Caerphilly Station. Plans are now well advanced for a £33m demolition and rebuild of Caerphilly station which handles circa 630k passengers per year (Cardiff Central 12.5m, Queen St 2m, Cathays 930k, Pontypridd 780k). This investment will deliver a high-quality statement project that brings together metro rail, bus, active travel with hopefully further urban regeneration in the town.
“But £33m is a lot of money – and what problem are we solving here? Do we need to completely demolish the original Victorian station building? Could we secure the majority (if not all) of the benefits with a smaller investment? More relevant perhaps, are there other more important regional projects that are deserving of that kind of funding?
“I had, like many, just thought yes, this is a good scheme and merits the investment. However, let’s look at Caerphilly station; it’s a classic Victorian build, with 6tph (trains per hour) into Cardiff and rather rare in Wales, already has an adjacent and integrated bus station served with feeder buses from the wider locality.
“Yes, it is tired and lacking some basic modern station facilities, but does it really need a £33M rebuild that would obliterate the original station building. Is there not a more human scale intervention that enhances the existing Victorian station and improves accessibility, integration, facilities, wayfinding, provides new toilets, café, etc.
“For example, what might £10m do to that station instead….and what else could we do with £23m elsewhere in the region.”