Magor & Undy Walkway Station

A look forward to 2025

As we enter year 2025, which will be the group’s 13th year of the campaign, will I be the only one who thinks it will be a lucky (rather than unlucky) one for MAGOR?

Catherine Fookes MP (courtesy Chepstow Beacon)

As I mentioned in the last post, Catherine Fookes, our new MP, had arranged a meeting with UK government representatives, and others, for November. Ted Hand has kindly produced a report of the meeting (below), which I think shows Magor and Undy Walkway Station is, even in these turbulent times, a real possibility for the not-too-distant future.

On Wednesday 27^th November 2024, Phil Inskip and I (MAGOR), along with others, were invited, by Catherine Fookes MP for Monmouthshire, to Westminster to meet with members of the government who have responsibility for transport. The purpose of the meeting was to update MAGOR on the progress of the Lord Burns Report and the potential for Magor & Undy Walkway Station. The meeting was both informative and included some constructive discussion (I produced a summary ‘handout’ of MAGOR’s history aims and the rationale for the station – which can be accessed here). Professor Simon Gibson (Burns Delivery Chair) and David McCallum (TfW) did a presentation to the Government representatives and us on the proposals contained in the Burns Report, including the six new stations.

We were pleased that Magor & Undy Walkway Station remains high priority and is front and centre for the Burns Delivery Group and Monmouthshire County Council. The funding decision is subject to the government spending review which is still some months away. There is stiff competition for funding for rail projects but there was interest in the proposals and the quality of the bid from the Burns Delivery Group with the MPs present.

The main attendees were: –

Catherine Fookes, Lord Burns, Professor Simon Gibson (Chair of the Burns Delivery Group),David McCallum and colleagues (TfW), Mary Ann Brocklesby (Leader Monmouthshire County Council), Paul Griffiths (Monmouthshire County Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development), There were also other MPs, Department of Transport and Network Rail representatives present.