Train operator Transport for Wales (TfW) has confirmed it is looking into the feasibility of a new railway station in the Pontrilas area “in the medium to longer term”.

But it appears that even the likely location of the proposed Golden Valley Parkway has yet to be determined.

Local campaigner for the project Gill Jinman asked Herefordshire Council’s cabinet member for transport Councillor Philip Price how £50,000 of funding allocated to the project has been spent given the failure to progress the business case for it.

Cllr Price said the council “supports this as a strategically important proposal for the county and wider region, and we await the results of the TfW study of routes which will determine if there remains any capacity for an additional station between Abergavenny and Hereford”.

“Once this has been completed the council will be in a better position to understand the work required to identify a potential location for the station and the merits of a full business case,” he said.

A spokesperson for TfW confirmed it is advising Herefordshire Council “in their ambitions to improve transport in the Pontrilas area”.

“Transport for Wales is considering ways to improve local/regional and intercity travel on the Marches route, which could offer more opportunity to incorporate future station schemes in the medium to longer term as part of long-term planning,” they said.

A “Golden Valley Parkway task force” was set up late last year to co-ordinate progress on the proposal between councils and rail operators on either side of the border.

But ealier this year a monitoring report on progress towards 179 council ‘milestones’ flagged as ‘red’ its goal of completing a strategic outline business case for the station proposal.

The plan has been talked about for years and is supported by local Conservative MP Jesse Norman, a former transport minister.