New station or more trains? How to solve rural areas' transport woes

There are calls for improved rail links to a rural area to boost job opportunities and travel.

Some leaders would like to see a new station built in the Forest of Dean on the Cardiff-to-Gloucester line, while others believe increasing services through the area's only station, Lydney, is the key.

But whatever happens, all agree that the district needs more travel investment.

Councillor Julian Tooke, Gloucestershire County Council's cabinet member for economic development, said: "The Forest has one of the lowest densities of jobs, per working-age person, so that means people need to travel."

The Department for Transport (DfT) told the BBC it has "extended services through to Cheltenham", and "CrossCountry is currently refurbishing its fleet on this route".

Currently the Forest has one station in Lydney.

Matt Bishop, the local MP, wants a new station to be built at Elton Corner. Despite the area being main up of mainly farmland, it is an intersection for the A48 and the A4151.

This would provide a closer railway connection for residents in Cinderford and Coleford, who are located eight and 20 minutes away by car, respectively.

Bishop believes having more stations along the line makes sense.

"We could put more stations in, I think some work has been done to look at this before but never at the degree we are," he said.

There are also calls for a station further down the track in the village of Newnham-On-Severn.

Nick Assirati is a local parish councillor and is concerned houses are being built where a railway station in the village could go.

"It's insane, it [the train] goes past my house and I can't get on the thing, it drives you nuts," he said.

Gloucestershire County Council has written to the Secretary of State for Transport asking for an increase in train frequency.

Council chiefs want a second train an hour between Gloucestershire and South Wales and improved links to Severn Tunnel Junction, which connects to Bristol.

One idea which is also being looked at is reopening the Northern line through the Forest of Dean to Herefordshire.

Years ago the line had stations such as Grange Court, Longhope and Mitcheldean Road, which closed in the mid-1960s.

But a feasibility study to look at reopening the line, passed at Herefordshire council earlier this year.

Questions remain over its viability, given the line would have to cross difficult terrain and potentially two rivers.

Despite concern, rail groups are pushing local authorities to work together and make the case to government.

Figures show that more people travel by buses than trains, yet trains receive more government subsidies.

Stagecoach cut a large number of rural routes in 2022, leaving many in the Forest of Dean without a bus service.

As a result, Buses4Us set up the Daffodil line, named after the traditional railway line between Ledbury and Gloucester.

The service has seen passenger numbers increase by 40% as it connects the towns of Newent and Ledbury with Ross - passing through smaller villages on the way.

Clare Stone, chair of community travel group Buses4Us, is supportive of all public transport, but thinks bus routes are easier to set up than railway lines.

"A bus can be up and running in months and can go right to the heart of communities," she said.

"In rural communities, people need connectivity now, this year, not in 10 or 15 years time, and a bus can do that."

For new stations or railway lines it is up to local authorities like councils to make a strong business case to government.

A DfT spokesperson told the BBC they are "open to working with local authorities" to "benefit passengers".

"Passengers in the Forest of Dean are already benefiting from improvements to local rail services," they said.

"Transport for Wales extending services through to Cheltenham while CrossCountry is currently refurbishing its fleet on this route."

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