EditorNeath Transport Hub plans paused after public backlash
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on 29 October 2025, where councillors agreed the project should instead be reassessed as part of a wider Neath Town Centre Masterplan.
“We listened to residents” says cabinet member
Cllr Wyndham Griffiths, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, Transport and Connectivity, said the council had taken on board the concerns raised by residents, businesses and public transport users.
“We listened to what our residents had to say during consultation and it’s clear there is little support for the scheme in its current form. We need to look at the scheme again and that is what we will do now.”
He confirmed that officers will now explore a range of alternative development options before bringing them back to members for consideration.
What happens next
Council officers will now go back to the drawing board, looking again at the scope and design of the transport hub in light of the concerns raised during consultation. The reassessment will not only consider changes to the scheme itself, but also how any new transport project can support the wider regeneration of Neath town centre.
As part of this process, the council says it will work closely with partners including Network Rail, Welsh Government and Transport for Wales to explore whether the railway station could be incorporated into a future scheme. The aim is to ensure that any new proposals are fully aligned with a broader masterplan for the town, rather than being developed in isolation.
Why scrapping the scheme was ruled out
While councillors agreed the transport hub could not proceed in its current form, they also dismissed the idea of abandoning it altogether. An officers’ report warned that with Welsh Government investing heavily in public transport through Transport for Wales, walking away from the project would be a “missed opportunity.”
The report cautioned that if Neath failed to develop its own proposals, there was a real risk the town’s infrastructure would be “left behind.” Instead, members agreed the focus should now be on reshaping the scheme so that it better reflects local needs while still taking advantage of wider investment in the network.
More time and engagement needed
The Cabinet acknowledged that more time will be required to develop alternative options and that further public and stakeholder engagement will be essential.
The decision is subject to a three‑day call‑in period, after which work on the reassessment will begin.
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