PRESELI MP Stephen Crabb welcomed the Under Secretary of State for Wales to Milford Haven this week, as pressure mounts to improve the town’s railway station.
Welsh Minister David TC Davies joined local MP Stephen Crabb at the station to see first-hand its poor and uninviting state. With only a portacabin as a ticket office and small shelter, the station is in need of investment and upgrading.
A previous Network Rail upgrade plan which incorporated a bus station into the train station and was presented to Pembrokeshire County Council was shelved a few years back, but Crabb has been working hard to dust off that plan and bring involved parties together to ensure the upgrade work is done.
Joining Crabb and Davies were Dan Mills and Lucy Wonnacott from the Visit Milford Haven team, who are working to make the town more attractive, with the upgrade of the station a central part of their plan.
The Preseli MP has long called for an improvement to the station and raised its poor state and need for investment during Wales Question in Parliament earlier this year. Crabb will continue to press for the upgrade and hopes the visit by the Minister will help kickstart the project.
Stephen Crabb said: “I’m grateful for the Minister to find time to visit the station and see first-hand the sorry state that it is in. As one of the busiest stations in Pembrokeshire and located in one of the biggest towns, it’s important that this upgrade happens to improve Milford Haven.
“It’s really encouraging to see key groups like the Visit Milford Haven team calling for improvements too. I hope UK and Welsh Government will listen to these voices and work together with Network Rail to get Milford Haven a station that it can be proud of. I’m pleased the Minster will now be able to have those discussions at a Government level.”
Dan Mills added: “Lucy and I were delighted to be able to meet with the Minister and Stephen to put forward the case for investment into the station. As Milford Haven grows as a visitor destination the first impressions of holiday-makers arriving by rail is becoming more and more important. We hope that support from the UK Government may help improve what we currently have to offer.”
Earlier this month, the UK Government announced £343 million of investment to help deliver better journeys for passengers in Wales. Welsh Minister David TC Davies said of that announcement: “Communities across Wales will benefit from this multi-million package of rail investment, aimed at delivering rail services that are fit for the future.
“From proposals to speed up services, improving access for those who need it most and boosting connectivity, these improvements form part of our broader plans to level up the nations and regions of the UK as we rebuild our economy following the coronavirus.”
