Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Samuel Kurtz has voiced his disappointment at the lack of progress by both the UK and Welsh Governments in delivering on the reopening of St Clears railway station.

Despite £4.7 million awarded by the previous UK Conservative Government to the Welsh Labour Government through the Restoring Your Railway Fund, four years have passed without any visible action towards the station’s reopening.

The new UK Government Rail Minister has confirmed that the Welsh Government has acknowledged it cannot proceed with the project, citing rising costs and uncertainty over the location of a proposed new hospital in the area.

The original agreed plan to reopen the station had no links to the potential new hospital however.

Mr Kurtz said: “It is deeply disappointing that St Clears railway station remains closed. The Welsh Government received funding specifically for this project, yet no progress has been made.

“Linking this delay to the ongoing uncertainty around the location of a new hospital is simply not acceptable. The location of the new hospital was never conditional on the reopen of the station’s original business case or vice versa.

“The calls for the railway station have come from the community. It’s about time that the Labour governments either side of the M4 start delivering for rural communities like ours.”

In a written response to Mr Kurtz, the Minister of State for Rail, Peter, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill stated: “St Clears Station formerly served the town of St Clears but was closed in 1964.

“In December 2020, the previous administration awarded £4.7 million to the Welsh Government to reopen St Clears Station through the Restoring Your Railway Fund.

“In July 2023, Welsh Government announced that they would not be able to deliver this project due to increasing costs, and the need to consider its proposed location in the context of a decision being taken on a new hospital in the area.

“Future reopening of this station remains a priority for the Wales Rail Board, who will continue to advise the UK and Welsh Governments on options for its future progression,” he added.