Supporters of a proposed new railway station in Herefordshire have expressed disappointment after the scheme was omitted from the county’s latest transport plan, which outlines improvements over the next 15 years. The draft plan, now open for public consultation until June 5, primarily focuses on enhancing bus services, but makes no direct reference to the long-discussed Golden Valley Parkway station.
This proposed station, which Herefordshire Council has championed, aims to serve the rural southwest of the county on the Marches Line between Hereford and Abergavenny. However, the absence of firm backing at the council level and lack of interest from central government has placed the project in uncertainty.
Matthew Engel, county councillor for Golden Valley South, noted frustration over the situation: “Not all members of the Herefordshire cabinet have been fully supportive of this project. The main issue is that the government currently does not prioritize Herefordshire or rail travel enhancements. The idea hasn’t died—it’s just in a doze.”
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Local campaigner Gill Jinman, whose late husband Peter Jinman was instrumental in initiating the station campaign, emphasized the challenges of maintaining public momentum. “The longer the station remains off the council’s priority list, the harder it becomes to keep public support alive,” she said. Jinman estimates construction costs in the range of £12-15 million, a figure she argues is modest compared to other infrastructure projects like the Hereford bypass, and one that would yield substantial benefits relatively quickly.
While the draft transport plan makes no direct mention of Golden Valley Parkway, it does allude to “slower” rail services potentially offering more flexibility for future stations along the Marches Line and hints at exploring the feasibility of a Hereford South station. A council spokesperson commented: “Rail travel and the wider public transport network are being reviewed as part of the ongoing local transport plan process.”
The document also mentions aspirations to increase train services from Hereford eastwards towards Birmingham and aims to establish a two-hourly service to London, where currently only about four direct trains run daily, taking roughly three hours.
Despite the lack of concrete commitments in the plan, local advocates remain hopeful the project will eventually gain the recognition and funding needed to move forward.