BALA Lake Railway has provided an update on its quest to complete the extension of the railway into the town itself.

Officials say that so far more than £1.2m has been spent on the project, but another £2.5m is still needed to get it over the finish line.

A spokesperson said: "Recently, a petition was launched to convince the Welsh Government to support the project and to date over 2,200 signatures have been received, described by Trust Chairman Julian Birley as an ‘overwhelming response’.

"On top of this, there has been great support from Bala businesses and traders as they realise that the line will bring an estimated extra 55,000 visitors to the town and inject upwards of £1.25m into the town’s economy."

Mr Birley previously stated that, once completed, the project will 'make Bala a place where visitors can come and enjoy all that the attractive town and the lake have to offer”.

He added: "We are building a new railway, not reinstating an old one, and being in such an environmentally sensitive area this task is by no means easy. Due to the Pandemic, businesses have been decimated and the need for the extension is greater than ever."

A spokesman for the Welsh Government expressed general support for the project too, saying: “We are continuing to have positive discussions with the Bala Lake Railway. We see this as being a strategically important project for the area”.

The existing route of the Railway runs for 4½ miles from Llanuwchllyn to Pen-y-Bont station. The additional £2.5m project will see a further 3/4 mile of railway laid to take the route across the River Dee and into Bala town.

Caulmert’s Heritage Rail Team recently completed an environmental impact assessment on the protected site and have produced detailed designs to be submitted to Snowdonia National Park Authority next month.