More Denbighshire pupils will return to face-to-face learning

All Denbighshire primary school pupils and secondary school pupils in years 11 and 13 will return to school on Monday (March 15).

Before the Easter break the remaining secondary school year groups will have the opportunity to attend school and individual schools will communicate their arrangements with parents and carers. 

Denbighshire County Council is reminding parents and guardians to follow guidance around schools which includes not to mix while picking up and dropping off children at the school gates, to wear face coverings and to maintain social distancing.

Cllr Huw Hilditch-Roberts, the Council’s Lead Member for Education, Children's Services and Public Engagement, said: “More pupils retuning to face-to-face learning is good news for our young people. I would like to reassure parents and guardians that all necessary safety measures are in place in our schools.

“To keep schools open and ensure the safety of pupils, it is vital parents and guardians follow the rules and guidelines to stop the spread of coronavirus.

“This includes children not meeting up outside of school, even when children are in the same school bubble.

“Parents and guardians need to wear face coverings when picking up and dropping off their children at the school gates and are reminded not to catch up with other parents and to maintain social distancing rules.

“Children must also be kept off school if they are unwell, even if you are not sure if it is coronavirus, and you should book a coronavirus test if your child develops any of the symptoms, even if they are mild.

“It has been a very difficult period for pupils, staff and parents and it is important everyone follows these guidelines to protect our communities and to keep schools open.”

Donations flood in from across world for crisis-hit railway

* The appeal's Facebook page showing donations of over £34,000.

Almost £10,000 has been contributed by supporters worldwide since the announcement that Llangollen Railway had been plunged into a financial crisis at the start of this month. 

On March 1 the board of Llangollen Railway PLC asked its bank to call in receivers after became insolvent to the tune of about £350,000 and could not legally continue trading.

An update on the railway's unofficial Facebook page shows that nearly £10K has been contributed by concerned supporters worldwide.

Pledges of money have come from as far away as Australia and the USA.

A post on the page says: "Since our last post on Monday March 1 donations to the Full Steam Ahead Appeal have grown from £25,000 to £34,500 plus Gift Aid contributions. 

"Llangollen Railway Trust (LRT) would like to thank everyone who has commented, shared the post and donated to the Appeal. We are extremely grateful for your ongoing support.

"If you are in a position to make a donation please visit the link below, this provides full details of how you can continue to support us. 

"These include bank transfers, posting a cheque or making an online donation which can be for a one off amount or a set monthly figure. If you are unable to donate at this time a share to others you feel could support us would also be appreciated. https://llangollenrailway.enthuse.com/cf/covid-19-appeal

"Other money has been arriving by cheque and bank transfers to LRT."

First Minister gives update on easing of coronavirus rules

Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford has given his latest update on the easing of coronavirus restrictions at a press conference this lunchtime.

Main points are:

• From tomorrow Saturday, March 13, the existing 'stay at home' message will be replaced by a 'stay local' rule
• Also from Saturday up to four people from a maximum of two households will be able to socialise together outdoors, including in gardens
• Outdoor sports facilities such as basketball and tennis courts and golf courses can also open again from Saturday
• Care home visits will be able to resume from Saturday, March 13, on the basis of a single designated visitor
• From Monday, March 15, all primary school pupils will return to face-to-face teaching, as will exam-year students in secondary schools. Wholesale school re-opening will not take place until after the Easter break
• Hairdressers and barbers can re-open for appointments from Monday, March 15
• Non-essential retail will begin to re-open on a gradual basis from Monday, March 22. At that stage shops such as supermarkets, which are currently entitled to remain open, will see restrictions on what they can sell removed while garden centres can re-open from that date
• On March 27, the 'stay local' message ends and people will be allowed to travel anywhere in Wales. Self-contained holiday accommodation will be allowed to open in time for the Easter holidays
• All shops, including close contact services, will be able to re-open from April 12
• The next three-week review takes place on April 2.
• In the conference Mr Drakeford said: “Thanks to the fantastic efforts everyone has made, we can make some changes to the current restrictions, which will be phased in over the coming weeks.

  “The number of cases of coronavirus continues to fall overall; the pressure on our NHS is easing and our vaccine programme continues to go from strength to strength.

  “But the very clear advice we have is that the virus has not gone away – the highly infectious Kent variant is the dominant strain in Wales and as soon as we start to mix again, the virus will come too.

  “With every step we take to return to a more normal life, we are responsible for what happens next. While we will welcome more freedom to move around locally and meet with family and friends, we cannot afford to let down our guard.”

  From Saturday 13 March:

  • No more than four people from two households will be able to meet in their local area outdoors, including in gardens. Children under 11 and carers do not count towards this limit. There must be no indoors mixing and social distancing should be followed.
  • Outdoor sports facilities can reopen, including tennis courts, golf courses and bowling greens. A maximum of four people from two households can take part in activities using local sports facilities.
  • Indoor care home visits can resume for one designated visitor, with the permission of the care home.

  From Monday 15 March:

  • All primary pupils and those in qualifications years will return. Schools will have the flexibility to bring in year 10 and 12 pupils, to support them to progress to the next stage of their learning, and more learners will return to colleges. There will also be flexibility for in-school check-ins for all other pupils. All learners will return after the Easter break.
  • Hairdressers and barbers can reopen by appointment only to cut hair.

  From Monday 22 March:

  • The first steps to re-open non-essential retail will begin. Restrictions on the sale of non-essential items will be lifted for those shops, which are currently open.
  • Garden centres will also reopen.

  An additional £150m will be available to support businesses to the end of March, which are not yet able to open.  

  The extra funding will see businesses in the hospitality, tourism, leisure and non-essential retail sectors that pay non-domestic rates qualify for an additional payment of up to £5,000.  

  During the third week of the review period, we will take stock of the latest evidence before confirming changes for the Easter holidays. If the public health conditions continue to be favourable, from 27 March:

  • The stay local restrictions will be lifted to allow people to travel within Wales.
  • Self-contained holiday accommodation will re-open for one household.
  • Organised children’s activities outdoors will restart.
  • Libraries will reopen.

  The review on 1^st April will consider whether all remaining shops and close contact services can reopen on the 12^th April. This is in line with planned re-opening in England.

  First Minister Mark Drakeford added:

  “We need everyone’s help as we start to unlock these restrictions. We all need to follow the rules, maintain social distancing, good hand hygiene and to  wear face coverings in indoor public places.

  “We all want to see Wales re-open and the return of a more normal life. This is within sight – but only if we can keep the virus under control. No one wants us to have to reintroduce strict restrictions, to retreat from the progress we have made. Only by working together, can we help keep Wales safe.”

  The changes follow the regular statutory review of the coronavirus regulations by Welsh Ministers, using the latest scientific and medical evidence from the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Cell (TAC) and the advice from the Chief Medical Officer for Wales.

  First Minister Mark Drakeford said:

  “Thanks to the fantastic efforts everyone has made, we can make some changes to the current restrictions, which will be phased in over the coming weeks.

  “The number of cases of coronavirus continues to fall overall; the pressure on our NHS is easing and our vaccine programme continues to go from strength to strength.

  “But the very clear advice we have is that the virus has not gone away – the highly infectious Kent variant is the dominant strain in Wales and as soon as we start to mix again, the virus will come too.

  “With every step we take to return to a more normal life, we are responsible for what happens next. While we will welcome more freedom to move around locally and meet with family and friends, we cannot afford to let down our guard.”

  From Saturday 13 March:

  • No more than four people from two households will be able to meet in their local area outdoors, including in gardens. Children under 11 and carers do not count towards this limit. There must be no indoors mixing and social distancing should be followed.
  • Outdoor sports facilities can reopen, including tennis courts, golf courses and bowling greens. A maximum of four people from two households can take part in activities using local sports facilities.
  • Indoor care home visits can resume for one designated visitor, with the permission of the care home.

  From Monday 15 March:

  • All primary pupils and those in qualifications years will return. Schools will have the flexibility to bring in year 10 and 12 pupils, to support them to progress to the next stage of their learning, and more learners will return to colleges. There will also be flexibility for in-school check-ins for all other pupils. All learners will return after the Easter break.
  • Hairdressers and barbers can reopen by appointment only to cut hair.

  From Monday 22 March:

  • The first steps to re-open non-essential retail will begin. Restrictions on the sale of non-essential items will be lifted for those shops, which are currently open.
  • Garden centres will also reopen.

  An additional £150m will be available to support businesses to the end of March, which are not yet able to open.  

  The extra funding will see businesses in the hospitality, tourism, leisure and non-essential retail sectors that pay non-domestic rates qualify for an additional payment of up to £5,000.  

  During the third week of the review period, we will take stock of the latest evidence before confirming changes for the Easter holidays. If the public health conditions continue to be favourable, from 27 March:

  • The stay local restrictions will be lifted to allow people to travel within Wales.
  • Self-contained holiday accommodation will re-open for one household.
  • Organised children’s activities outdoors will restart.
  • Libraries will reopen.

  The review on 1^st April will consider whether all remaining shops and close contact services can reopen on the 12^th April. This is in line with planned re-opening in England.

  First Minister Mark Drakeford added:

  “We need everyone’s help as we start to unlock these restrictions. We all need to follow the rules, maintain social distancing, good hand hygiene and to  wear face coverings in indoor public places.

  “We all want to see Wales re-open and the return of a more normal life. This is within sight – but only if we can keep the virus under control. No one wants us to have to reintroduce strict restrictions, to retreat from the progress we have made. Only by working together, can we help keep Wales safe.”

  The changes follow the regular statutory review of the coronavirus regulations by Welsh Ministers, using the latest scientific and medical evidence from the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Cell (TAC) and the advice from the Chief Medical Officer for Wales.

Changes to Arriva buses timings announced

One of Llangollen's county councillors has been informed by Arriva buses that its local services will be returning to their usual timings from next week.

Graham Timms has been sent the following message ...

"You will recall that the virus hit Arriva Wrexham very hard. 

"The position at Wrexham garage is sufficiently improved such that from next week weekday buses will revert to half-hourly and Sundays to every 40 minutes, compared to emergency timetables of hourly every day.”

* Details of services will be posted on www.traveline.cymru

Residents urged to report illegal tobacco crimes

Residents across Wales who think someone is selling illegal tobacco can now report it anonymously, thanks to a new campaign. 

Trading Standards Wales has joined forces with the charity Crimestoppers to provide a service which enables members of the public to anonymously provide valuable information to help keep communities safe and healthy. 

It is one of five issues that Trading Standards Wales and Crimestoppers are working together on, to encourage members of the public to provide information on concerns they might have, 100% anonymously.  If you have information on any of the following, you can tell us what you know: 

1. Doorstep crime
2. Sale of age-restricted products
3. Counterfeit goods
4. Rogue trading 

Helen Picton, Chair of Trading Standards Wales, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Crimestoppers and giving members of the public a way to report these crimes anonymously. 

“Illegal tobacco is causing harm to communities across Wales, and the sale of it supports organised crime and keeps money away from vital services. It also encourages smokers to continue smoking and encourages children to try smoking. 

“If you think someone is selling illegal tobacco, you can help stop the harm it’s causing by reporting it to Crimestoppers. Your information can help keep communities across Wales safe and healthy.” 

* If you think that someone is selling illegal tobacco call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit http://crimestoppers-uk.org and tell them what you know.

Positive report for library service in Denbighshire

Denbighshire Library service has been praised for its performance.

The Welsh Government has praised the service in the Welsh Public Library Standards assessment report for 2019/20 saying it has a ‘strong commitment to health and wellbeing’ while its ‘intention to focus on the development of staff should enable Denbighshire libraries to remain at the heart of their communities and continue to deliver services effectively’.

Covering the period before the coronavirus pandemic, it found the service met all 12 core entitlements, including being free to join and open to all, providing free access to resources, facilities and services, with friendly, knowledgeable staff, as well as achieving seven of the nine quality indicator targets in full.

These included support for individual development, support for health and well-being, location of service points, Welsh language resources, online access, supply of requests and opening hours per capita.

The service was the best performing in Wales for the number of Welsh books borrowed per capita, and was ranked fifth for the number of active borrowers and for the number of virtual visits per capita.

Cllr Tony Thomas, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Housing and Communities, said: “I would like to congratulate our library service and the staff for this fantastic assessment report.

“Libraries are vital to the well-being of our communities and the library service here in Denbighshire provides excellent service to our residents.

“This report covers the period before the pandemic, but I would also like to congratulate the service for continuing to support the community by offering a wide range of services throughout the last 12 months under very difficult circumstances.”

During the last year the service has introduced an order and collect service and expanded its digital offer for downloadable books, newspapers and magazines which was strengthened by a £250,000 investment from Welsh Government to increase the range of stock across Wales to meet increasing demand.

The Bookstart team switched its service to online immediately in mid-March 2020 and has delivered to date 33 weekly live rhymetime sessions, 30 weekly YouTube videos and 12 Siarad Babi videos to support parents.

Library staff have been making calls to local residents to check on their welfares and explain about the range of service and support available locally.

Two projects funded by Welsh Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund will see library staff undergoing training in delivering virtual activities and the development of private spaces for solo digital meetings in libraries.

The report will be discussed by the Council’s Performance Scrutiny Committee on March 18.

* Further information is available at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/libraries

Viaduct closure causes traffic congestion

* The traffic build-up along Regent Street (A5) around 8.15a.m.

Llangollen has experienced major traffic congestion this morning due to the closure of a section of the A5 near Chirk.  

Traffic Wales North & Mid recently tweeted: "River Ceiriog viaduct closed in both directions due to high winds, diversion in place."

Considerable traffic built up through Llangollen.

But at 8.15 Traffic Wales tweeted: "River Ceiriog Viaduct now open."

Railway's vital bridge facelift goes on despite financial crisis

* Volunteers work on the Dee Bridge. Picture: Paul Reynolds.

Despite the financial crisis currently facing its public limited company, volunteers from Llangollen Railway last week got to grips with rerailing the Dee Bridge after the 18 new timbers were put in place.

To run trains over the Victorian bridge the railway has had to replace its worn-out timbers. 

New woodwork cost £15,000 and an appeal was launched last November by Llangollen Railway Trust to raise the required funds.

The appeal has proven a major success with members of the public and the trust together raising the entire amount.

All the rail has now been replaced on the timbers. 

Rails at the west and east ends have been fixed in place with the chairs drilled and screwed down with rail keys added. 

The rest of the fixing is subject to adjustment - level and gauging and completing the tie rods. A couple of joints will receive rail welds to help smooth the trip over the bridge.

As revealed by llanblogger, the board of Llangollen Railway PLC recently asked its bank to call in receivers after it plunged into insolvency to the tune of about £350,000 and could not legally continue trading.

With all operations on the railways now suspended, further work to complete the bridge in readiness for resumption of trains must await the administrator's permission.

Position of one-way street sign is criticised

* Above and below: the new one-way sign.

The positioning of a new one-way sign in Llangollen town centre has come under attack.

The criticism comes from Stuart Davies, a town councillor, after the sign was erected at the corner of Castle Street and Market Street.

He said: “I make no apologies for this rant. What on earth is going on?

“The dropped kerbs at the point where the sign has been erected are for wheelchair users to cross the road.

“How an earth is a wheelchair user going to access that drop kerb from the Castle Street side?”

He added: “We also need to ask the question, if the temporary order of which this is allegedly part is to partly promote ‘social distancing’ how does this work?

“I have asked what the county council’s head of service for public protection thinks of this. I have emailed him and the head of service for highways.”

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “The posts carry signage required to give legal effect to the temporary one way restriction on Market Street.

“The position is due to the presence of underground services and the post was positioned to allow as much clear footway width as possible and

complies with guidance provided in the Traffic Signs Manual.

“Every possible consideration was given to an alternative location before settling on the current location.”

Call for Welsh Government support for crisis-hit railway

Following news that Llangollen Railway PLC is to go into receivership, North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has raised its plight in the Welsh Parliament and called for a government statement on support for the attraction.

Mr Isherwood, who has long championed the work of Llangollen Railway and worked with them over many years, said: “The directors of this wonderful Welsh standard-gauge heritage railway announced last week that they have taken the reluctant step of inviting their bank to appoint a receiver.

“The Trust Board stated it will need to take steps to negotiate with the receiver to try to secure the line and preserve rolling stock and infrastructure to the greatest extent possible. 

"It is intended to recommence operations in due course, but this is dependent upon legal and regulatory approvals, including licensing, all of which will clearly take time, it added.

“The impact this will have on their staff, volunteers, customers, suppliers, locomotive owners and their organisations, and anyone else with connections to the railway, is potentially serious, as is the wider impact on the visitor economy in Llangollen and throughout the Dee Valley.

“I have therefore been asked to raise this in the Welsh Parliament and alert the First Minister, and request a Welsh Government statement accordingly.”

In her response the Tefnydd, Rebecca Evans MS, told Mr Isherwood to write to the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, which he said he will now be doing. 

Retail and tourism sector gets further protection against eviction

Retail, hospitality, tourism and other businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic will now be protected from eviction until the end of June 2021, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales Ken Skates has announced.

As part of the action Welsh Government is taking to support the business community the moratorium against forfeiture for the non-payment of rent, which was due to end on 31 March, will now be extended until 30 June, 2021.

While businesses should continue to pay rent wherever possible, the latest measure will ensure no business is forced out of its premises if it misses a payment between now and the end of June this year. The move will help ease the burden on a range of sectors, including retail and hospitality, at what continues to be an incredibly challenging period of time.

The Welsh Government’s package of business support is in addition to that available from the UK Government and is the most generous in the UK. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Welsh Government has ensured that more than £1.9bn has reached businesses across Wales with more money reaching firms every day.

Ken Skates, said: “The past year has placed untold pressures on our firms and our people as we deal with coronavirus and that is why we have moved at pace to support the business community through the pandemic with a package worth in excess of £2 billion.

“Today’s announcement of the extension of measures to prevent forfeiture for the non-payment of rent builds on that and is crucial in protecting businesses from eviction and securing jobs and livelihoods over the coming months.

“We will continue to do all that we can to help them through these incredibly challenging times.”

Vicar reveals provisional church re-opening date

Llangollen's vicar has given an update on the re-opening of St Collen's Church after the latest lockdown.

Father Lee Taylor says: "We are provisionally looking to reopen the St Collen's for public worship on Sunday 21st March. This date is provisional upon the further guidelines from the Welsh Government and of the Church in Wales.

"This gives us time to carry out a thorough and up-to-date risk assessment as well as air and sanitise the building.

"Legally, churches have been allowed to be open for communal worship, but the advice from the local health authorities and from the Diocese was to find alternatives to public gatherings, which is what we have done.

"When we reopen, we will be returning to the pattern of worship and practices that we developed since we emerged from Lockdown 1 last year: Only one service (11am) at St Collen's on Sunday morning until further notice.

"The details relating to these decisions for our group of churches has been given in the statement which is now available on our website.

"Our safe capacity in St Collen's stands at 60 people maximum. It is doubtful that we will exceed this number on a regular Sunday morning (apart from Easter Sunday – more details will follow). However, attendance will be on a first come, first served basis.

"Please note the following very carefully:

"Some people have been vaccinated and some haven’t. Remember, no one is safe until we are ALL safe.

"Only members of the same household or bubble will be able to sit together.

"No socialising is allowed in church, and only one person from two households can meet outside.

"Please wave your greeting rather than stopping for a chat, and please leave the church in a timely fashion.

"Masks are to be worn at all times.

"Hands should be sanitised before entering the church.

"Social distancing of 2 metres should be maintained (including moving all the way into the pew you have chosen).

"Do not attend church if you are feeling ill.

"Temperature checks will be taken at the door (this means that the person taking the temperature will be at the same arm’s length distance as the priest giving communion).

"As ever with this pandemic, the church will be open for Sunday worship for those who feel comfortable enough to attend, and live-streaming will continue for those who don't.

"All this means that we will be able to keep some of Lent, Holy Week and Easter in Church.

"After Easter we will look to re-open for private prayer. If you can spare an hour or so a week, do get in contact with Tony.

"So, this is phase 1 of re-opening our churches. I hope that somewhere between Easter and the summer we can proceed with the next phase and consider safely (and legally) reopening St Tysilio's and Trevor church.

"When we do so, there will be a revised pattern of Sunday worship for our group of churches. More details will follow in due course."

Balloon festival aims to inflate funds for hospice

* Balloons take flight at the 2019 Oswestry Balloon Carnival in aid of 

Nightingale House Hospice.

The annual Oswestry Balloon Carnival is to return this summer after it was postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions last year. 

And it will be the first face-to-face fundraising event for Nightingale House Hospice in 18 months. 

Following the Government’s recent announcement to lift lockdown measures, the Oswestry Balloon Carnival in aid of Nightingale House Hospice is due to take place on August 21 and 22. 

Extra safety measures are being introduced because of the pandemic to ensure this year’s family fun event can go ahead safely. 

The hospice is synonymous with the Balloon Carnival, held in association with Oswestry Town Council, Spirit Operations and supported by Oswestry Business Improvement District (BID), and had held the event for four years prior to 2020. 

Weather permitting there will be an array of hot air balloons on display including impressive special shapes, as well as family entertainment and an eclectic mix of food stalls and returns to Cae-Glas Park. 

The carnival atmosphere will spill over into the town centre where more entertainment and family fun will be on offer. 

It is the Balloon Carnival event that was the inspiration behind the hospice’s unique Build-A-Balloon Campaign, where supporters can sponsor a panel on our unique Nightingale hot air balloon. 

It is hoped the finished balloon, emblazoned with panels of images, illustrations, messages of love, good wishes and hopes and memories will take centre stage at this year’s summer event*.

Sarah Povey, Event Organiser for Nightingale House, said: “We are eager to start putting our plans in place, as we are confident that we will be able to go ahead with this year’s event, following government guidelines. 

"This Oswestry Balloon Carnival will be incredibly special for everyone involved in fundraising for the hospice, as it will mark the first participant event for Nightingale House since early 2020. We hope that as always the public will support us and mark the date in their diaries as a great community event to look forward to.”

* If you would like to sponsor a panel on the Nightingale House Hot Air Balloon you can reserve your spot via www.nightingalehouse.co.uk/event/build-a-balloon/

One million people have now had at least one Covid-19 jab

One million people across Wales have had at least one dose of the coronavirus vaccine, meaning almost 40% of the adult population now have a level of protection from COVID-19.

Today’s data [9 March] shows 1,007,391 people - or 4 in 10 adults - have received at least their first dose.

And 192,030 have also had their second dose, equating to 1,199,421 doses administered altogether within the first 13 weeks of Wales’ vaccination programme. 

Following an anticipated dip in supplies over the past few weeks, Wales is shortly going to see a significant increase again. Expected supplies should see the availability of around 200,000 vaccinations over the course of the next couple of weeks – with around 30,000 a day being administered.

This includes second doses for the many more people due to receive theirs in the coming weeks, and supplies for this have been planned for too.

An update to the Vaccination Strategy for Wales was published at the end of February and this brought forward two key target dates and also sets out plans for the next phase of roll-out.

It was recently announced that Wales aims to have offered vaccinations to every eligible adult by 31 July, as long as supply is maintained.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: “To be able to say that one in four adults in Wales have now had at least their first dose of the vaccine is a truly incredible testament to the hard-work of everyone involved in the roll-out of this life-changing vaccine.

“We have seen an incredible level of up-take so far and my thanks go to every person who has done their bit for this national effort. It is crucial these high levels of uptake are maintained and I would urge everyone to take up their offer - every single dose really does count. Each is a step closer to opening up our society, a step closer to a brighter future and our ‘new normal’.

“We do however need to reiterate that even if you have had your jab, please keep to the social distancing and hygiene measures we’ve become accustom to over the past year - everyone’s efforts to keep this virus at bay are so vitally important.”

Although vaccination greatly reduces the risk of severe COVID, we are still learning about how the vaccine affects transmission of the virus and someone could still pass it on even after being vaccinated. 

Once someone has had the vaccine however they should still follow the same steps to keep themselves and Wales safe; wearing a mask, keeping a 2m distance, washing their hands regularly and keeping rooms as well ventilated as possible.

All eligible adults will be invited to for an appointment when it is their turn – please do not call local health services, unless asked to do so.

Progress made towards step-free access at Ruabon station

* Simon Baynes MP at Ruabon station.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has welcomed "major progress" by the UK Government on step-free disability access at Ruabon Railway Station. 

Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps has said that Ruabon Station will be progressing to the next stage of the Access for All programme.

This next stage of design will allow the Department for Transport to establish any risks and the anticipated final costs associated with the project. 

Since becoming the local MP Mr Baynes has make the case for step-free access to the UK Government, which is responsible for the infrastructure of the railways in Wales, during Questions in the Chamber of the House of Commons and in meetings with Ministers in the Department for Transport, the Treasury and the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales. 

He has also worked closely with the stakeholders involved in Ruabon Station including Wrexham Council, Network Rail, the Welsh government, Ruabon Community Council, Friends of Ruabon and the Chester Shrewsbury Rail Partnership. 

Ruabon is a busy station with two flights of stairs that passengers need to use in order to access the Chester platform and it is the only station on the Chester to Shrewsbury route that fails to meet passengers’ step-free access needs. 

From 2002 to 2017, footfall increased by 220% among those entering and exiting the station and the addition of a new development 360 houses and a hotel in Ruabon is also expected to bring additional footfall and demand for the station. 

Ruabon Station is also the rail and bus gateway access for Llangollen and the World Heritage site at Pontcysyllte.

Grant Shapps said: “Simon Baynes has been championing the cause of constituents who need step-free access at Ruabon station, and I'm delighted we can now progress work to the next stage. This shows the value of having strong Conservative voices in North Wales. 

“Our railway should be easily available to all, not just the able-bodied, and we must press ahead with projects to make stations accessible.”

Mr Baynes said: “It is very good news for residents in Ruabon and the wider community in Clwyd South and Wrexham that the UK Government has said today that Ruabon Station will be progressing to the next stage of the Access for All programme. 

"This is something I’ve been campaigning for both locally in Clwyd South and in Parliament since day one of becoming an MP, and before that as a candidate, and it shows the commitment of the UK government to Clwyd South and North Wales. 

“Many representatives, organisations and residents in Ruabon have been campaigning for step-free access at Ruabon Station for several years and I am very pleased to see this important progress to the next stage of design. 

"This would not have been possible without the help and support of County Cllr David Bithell (Environment and Transport Lead at Wrexham Council), Darren Williams (Chief Environment and Technical Officer at Wrexham Council), County Cllr Joan Lowe (the local County Councillor for Penycae and Ruabon South), Sheila Dee (Community Rail Officer of the Chester Shrewsbury Rail Partnership), the team at Network Rail, the Welsh government, Ruabon Community Council and the Friends of Ruabon who have all worked so hard to get to this crucial stage. 

“This project is needed to make sure all passengers can access the jobs and leisure opportunities that will make our community an even greater place to live and work.”