ORDER FOR WHR (at last)

[Colin D Hill <Colin@k1-whr.demon.co.uk>]

From:     Colih Hill, 
          Welsh Highland Railway Society Publicity Department

To:       All WHR Supporters.

PUBLICITY RELEASE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today John Prescott confirmed the long-awaited granting of a Transport
and Works Order for the reconstruction of the Welsh Highland Railway.

The press release issued by the Department of Trade and Industry at 2pm
this afternoon follows.  It comes 2.1/2 years after our application for
the order and about 5 years since confirmation of the Transfer Order
which enabled us to acquire the WHR Traackbed.

Initial works should be under way in about four weeks and up to full
speed in eight weeks, with opening of the first section to Waunfawr in
May 2000, followed by opening to Rhydd Ddu by the end of 2000.

A major 'sponsor a yard of track' appeal will now be launched to enable
the raising of some of the match funding.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Press release by the Rt. Hon. John Prescott, MP:

URL: http://www.nds.coi.gov.uk/coi/coipress.nsf

DETR 621 
28 June 1999

PRESCOTT GIVES GO-AHEAD TO REBUILD WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, today announced that he has 
approved the proposal to rebuild the former Welsh Highland Railway 
through the Snowdonia National Park.

Mr Prescott said :

"After giving very careful consideration to this complex and 
sensitive case, I am satisfied that the benefits of the scheme 
outweigh the disadvantages and that it would be in the public 
interest to allow it to proceed.

"I said in April that I was inclined to grant the powers which the 
Festiniog Railway Company needed to reconstruct the railway. But 
before reaching a final decision, I wanted the Company to undertake a
detailed survey of the rock faces in the vicinity of the Aberglaslyn 
tunnels.

"A survey has since been completed by Ove Arup and Partners. I have 
carefully considered their report, together with a review of that 
report carried out by Hyder on behalf of the Snowdonia National Park 
Authority, as well as other representations and advice received. I am
satisfied from this information that the railway can safely be taken 
through the National Park without causing unacceptable harm to the 
environment.

NOTES TO EDITORS 

1. The proposed reconstruction of the Welsh Highland Railway was the 
subject of an application for an Order under the Transport and 
Works Act 1992 by the Festiniog Railway Company (FRC). The Order 
will authorise the FRC to build, maintain and operate a 35 km 
(21.5 miles) narrow gauge railway from Dinas, south of Caernarfon 
to Porthmadog, running through the Snowdonia National Park.

2. The proposal involves restoration of the former Welsh Highland 
Railway which closed in 1937. At the northern end at Dinas, the 
railway would join the FRC's existing three mile railway to 
Caernarfon. At Porthmadog, the railway would connect with the 
existing Festiniog Railway to Blaenau Ffestiniog.

3. Following a public inquiry in Caernarfon between 9 December 1997 
and 28 January 1998, the Secretary of State announced on 7 April 
1999 that he was minded to overturn the Inspector's recommendation
that the Order should not be made. However, before agreeing to 
make the Order, he asked the FRC to arrange a survey of the rock 
faces around the Aberglaslyn tunnels. This was in order to 
establish that the full route of the railway could be completed 
through the Park safely and in an environmentally acceptable way.

4. A survey was subsequently undertaken by Ove Arup and Partners, and
in the light of their findings the FRC put forward proposed 
remedial works. Having given the matter careful consideration, the
Secretary of State has concluded that the proposed railway can be 
taken through the Park safely and without causing undue harm to 
the environment. Hence there is now no impediment to allowing the 
scheme to proceed. His reasons are explained more fully in a 
letter sent today to the promoters and to all parties who made 
representations. This should be read together with the "minded to 
approve" letter of 7 April.

5. Details of the project can be obtained from the Festiniog Railway 
Company, Harbour Station, Porthmadog, Gwynedd, LL49 9NF or from 
their Parliamentary Agents, Messrs Sharpe Pritchard, 
Elizabeth House, Fulwood Place, London WC1V 6HG.

6. This DETR Press Notice is also available in Welsh (No. 622)


-- 
Best wishes, Colin D Hill         
E-Mail to: Colin@K1-WHR.DEMON.CO.UK              Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1926 811316
Shop Lock Cottage, Stockton Road, Stockton, Rugby, Warwickshire CV23 8LD, UK
K1 -  THE WORLD'S FIRST GARRATT -  COMING SOON TO THE WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAY
     See us on the WEB at:-     http://www.bangor.ac.uk/ml/whr/whrsoc/