Update - December 2013

Since the formation of the group we have undertaken a range of activities to promote the need for an improved access between Barmouth and the railway viaduct across the Mawddach estuary.

These have involved:

• Setting up a formally constituted community group - B-VAG.
• Seeking grants to support the work of the group and the project.
• Funding and progressing a 3D engineering design/model of a credible solution to the access problem.
• Establishing community support through a public meeting, web site, social media (Face book), and seeking support from appropriate organisations.
• Undertaking initial meetings with key players including Gwynedd Council and Network Rail.
• Promoting the concept via a video presentation.
• Undertaking formal meetings with Gwynedd Council involving participants from Network Rail and others.
• Contacting, and where possible, meeting potentially influential politicians to seek support and advice on developing the project (Elfyn Llwyd MP, Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas AM, John Griffiths AM).
• Expanding the membership of B-VAG to include others with appropriate experience and skills.

Current activities include:

• Working with officers now appointed by GC to move the project forward.
• Date has been set in Mid-January for a formal meeting with GC Officers, ourselves and Elfyn Llwyd to move the project onwards.
• Awaiting more accurate costings for construction.
• Seeking to get the project identified as a strategic objective and an example of Local Authority - Community partnership. This is in-line with the new Strategic Plan for Gwynedd Council.
• Working to identify aspects of the project (e.g. Appraisal of Economic Benefit, and WelTag) for which we might seek funding. We have received two examples of a WelTag (essentially types of option appraisal methodologies). We will still need an economic appraisal. Bids are in progress to fund this.
• Investigating the possibility of more viable signage for the project which might include information for people seeking to donate.
• We visited the old toll house with the Town Council to see if it's future use by the community might 'fit in' with the new access proposals. As a result we are looking at making a formal 'enquiry' to Heritage Lottery and enquiry to Railway Heritage to fund aspects of the project.