Ynys Môn MP Virginia Crosbie has secured £100,000 to fund a feasibility study looking at options for developing the disused Amlwch to Gaerwen railway line.
The £50,000 bid – submitted by Virginia to the UK Government’s Restoring Your Railways Ideas Fund – will be matched by the Welsh Government to make the total amount.
The Department for Transport (DfT) announced the bid was successful today. It means work can take place to examine the best use of the line.
There are several ways it could be put back into use. These include restoring it as a railway, using some form of light rail alternative or developing it into a cycle and walking path.
The last option could potentially open up a route from Newborough to Amlwch – linking the south and north of the island and joining up with the Anglesey Coastal Path.
“For too long this disused line has been in the sidings but this cash injection to look at options for its future will put it back on track,” said Virginia.
“I am really pleased DfT agreed with me that the line has huge potential on Anglesey for recreation and tourism and I would like to thank everyone who supported the bid.
“I would particularly like to thank the Transport for Wales team and those who sent letters of support for the application - Menter Môn, M-SParc, Môn CF, Welsh Government, Anglesey council, Citizens Advice and Ynys Môn MS Rhun ap Iorwerth.
“We need to find the best way to bring this line back to life. I look forward to reading the feasibility study and its conclusions."
Virginia also met with Transport Minister Chris Heaton-Harris to discuss the project and persuade him to back the bid.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps added: “This £50,000 - matched funded by Welsh Government - is designed to look at all the options for this long disused railway line through a feasibility study.
“The fund is not exclusively about restoring railways but rather making use of old railway lines and routes so the community can use them again for a variety of recreation purposes.
Mae AS Ynys Môn, Virginia Crosbie, wedi sicrhau £100,000 i ariannu astudiaeth ddichonoldeb sy’n edrych ar opsiynau ar gyfer datblygu’r hen reilffordd rhwng Amlwch a Gaerwen.
Er mwyn gwneud y cyfanswm, bydd y cais £50,000 – a gyflwynwyd gan Virginia i Gronfa Syniadau Adfer Eich Rheilffyrdd Llywodraeth y DU – yn cael ei gyfateb gan Lywodraeth Cymru.
Cyhoeddodd yr Adran Drafnidiaeth (DfT) heddiw fod y cais yn llwyddiannus. Mae’n golygu y gellir gwneud gwaith i archwilio’r defnydd gorau o’r llinell.
Mae yna sawl ffordd y gellid ei ddefnyddio eto. Mae’r rhain yn cynnwys ei adfer fel rheilffordd, ei ddefnyddio’n rheilffordd drefol (e.e. ar gyfer tramiau) neu ei ddatblygu’n llwybr beicio a cherdded.
Mae’n bosib y gallai’r opsiwn olaf olygu agor llwybr o Niwbwrch i Amlwch – gan gysylltu de a gogledd yr ynys ac ymuno â Llwybr Arfordir Ynys Môn.
“Mae’r llinell segur hon wedi mynd yn angof ers tro byd, ond bydd y chwistrelliad arian hwn i edrych ar opsiynau ar gyfer ei ddyfodol yn ei roi yn ôl ar y trywydd iawn,” meddai Virginia.
“Rwy’n falch iawn bod yr Adran Drafnidiaeth wedi cytuno â mi bod gan y llinell botensial enfawr ar gyfer hamdden a thwristiaeth yn Ynys Môn, a hoffwn ddiolch i bawb a gefnogodd y cais.
“Hoffwn ddiolch yn arbennig i’r tîm Trafnidiaeth Cymru a’r rhai a anfonodd lythyrau i gefnogi’r cais – Menter Môn, M-SParc, Môn CF, Llywodraeth Cymru, cyngor Ynys Môn, Cyngor ar Bopeth ac AS Ynys Môn Rhun ap Iorwerth.
“Rhaid i ni ddod o hyd i’r ffordd orau o adfywio’r llinell. Edrychaf ymlaen at ddarllen yr astudiaeth ddichonoldeb a’i chasgliadau. “
Cyfarfu Virginia hefyd â’r Gweinidog Trafnidiaeth Chris Heaton-Harris i drafod y prosiect a’i berswadio i gefnogi’r cais.
Ychwanegodd yr Ysgrifennydd Trafnidiaeth Grant Shapps: “Mae’r £50,000 hwn – a gyfatebwyd yn ariannol gan Lywodraeth Cymru – wedi’i ddynodi i gynnal astudiaeth ddichonoldeb i edrych ar yr holl opsiynau sy’n bodoli ar gyfer y rheilffordd segur hon.
“Nid yw’r gronfa ar gyfer adfer rheilffyrdd yn unig, ond yn hytrach defnyddio hen reilffyrdd a llwybrau fel y gall y gymuned eu defnyddio eto at amrywiaeth o ddibenion hamdden.
“Edrychaf ymlaen at glywed gan Virginia am y cynnydd o ran datblygu’r rheilffordd rhwng Amlwch a Gaerwen. Roedd ei chais yn argyhoeddiadol ac mae hi’n hyrwyddwr brwd iawn dros Ynys Môn.”
“I look forward to hearing from Virginia about progress on developing the Amlwch to Gaerwen railway line. Her application was persuasive and she is a real champion for Anglesey.”
