SUPPORTERS of a new railway station in Pontrilas say they are disappointed it doesn’t get a mention in the county’s new transport plan for the coming decade and a half.

The draft document, which the public are being invited to comment on until June 5, makes a raft of proposals to boost bus travel in the county.

But it makes no direct mention of Golden Valley Parkway, a long-touted scheme which Herefordshire Council has so far led on to create a new station serving the rural southwest of the county on the Marches Line between Hereford and Abergavenny.

“Not all the Herefordshire cabinet, sadly, have been wholehearted about this project,” county councillor for Golden Valley South, Matthew Engel said.

“But the real problem is that the government has no interest in Herefordshire nor, at the moment, enhancing rail travel. The idea has definitely not died, but it’s having a doze.”

Gill Jinman, a local campaigner and widow of Cllr Engel’s predecessor Cllr Peter Jinman who helped to kick-start the station campaign, said: “The longer it takes for the station to be included as a council priority, the harder it becomes to maintain the public momentum for Golden Valley Parkway.

“I believe it would now cost somewhere in the region of £12-15 million to build, which pales into insignificance compared with the Hereford bypass, and would benefit so many, and far more quickly.”

The council document makes an oblique reference to slower rail services which could offer greater flexibility to provide regular services to any new stations on the Marches Line.

It also says that the council also intends to ‘investigate feasibility of Hereford South railway station’.

A Herefordshire Council spokesperson said: “Rail travel and the wider public transport network is being reviewed as part of the ongoing local transport plan work.”