Watch more of our videos on Shots! and live on Freeview channel 276 Around 25,000 ticket holders are expected to attend festival events over the weekend and event bosses are due to meet with Network Rail which has a series of long planned engineering works taking place on the Marches line, between Newport and Shrewsbury , during September. Abergavenny Food Festival said it was informed by Network Rail , and train operator Transport for Wales, on August 7 works have been scheduled across three weekends in September including when the festival is taking place. Network Rail said the work has been planned over a two year period.
Rail replacement buses will be running but Monmouthshire MP Catherine Fookes said she fears a lack of trains will only add to higher than usual traffic volumes over the festival weekend of Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22 and replacement buses could get stuck in traffic. She has requested works at Abergavenny are postponed for a week so the station can remain in use. In a letter the Labour MP described the new footbridge and lift, to make Abergavenny station accessible including to those with physical disabilities, as "much anticipated and required.
" But she said: "It is a priority for the local economy, those who rely on the festival for business, and the thousands of attendees that Abergavenny be accessible on the weekend of the festival as possible. This would require the station being open and in full use." Replacement bus services will.