Still no buses servicing Barry's transport interchange

Barry Transport Interchange, situated outside Barry Docks Railway Station, was developed to improve connectivity in the Vale and so far includes a taxi rank, bike shelters and bus stops.

Construction on phase one of Barry Transport Interchange started in January 2023 and electric car charging points will soon be connected to the site.

Adventure Travel’s number 88 bus service was originally supposed to take passengers to and from the new interchange, but it has since been withdrawn.

Vale of Glamorgan Council said in April that Cardiff Bus was considering which of its services could operate at the interchange.

The company later announced that it was also withdrawing and making changes to a number of its services from September and no services were shown to be set to operate at Barry Transport Interchange in updated timetables.

The interchange next to Barry Docks train station (Image: Newsquest)

At a Vale Council meeting on September 25, Cllr Ian Johnson asked what conversations cabinet members are having with other authorities and the Welsh Government with regards to ensuring revenue funding is found for bus services in the future.

In response, Vale Council's cabinet member for neighbourhood and building services, Cllr Mark Wilson, said: “We have regular meetings with our fellow cabinet members to discuss this and we lobby Welsh Government, along with other local authorities, to get a bigger chunk of available funding.”

Bus companies across Wales are struggling at the moment due to reduced funding and recovering passenger numbers following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many services have recently been changed or cut altogether.

A new bus interchange, with no buses... (Image: Newsquest)

• Read more: Barry's bus interchange to be used by rail replacement buses

Mayor of Barry Cllr Johnson, called the project in its current state, a waste of public money.

Cllr Johnson said: “There’s no point in a bus station with no buses.

“This is a major multi-million pound project that will not be used at any time soon for the reason it was built.

“That is a waste of public money at a time when the Labour Council are telling us to get ready for large scale cuts.”

Cllr Johnson says it's a waste of money (Image: Supplied)

The Vale of Glamorgan Council revealed that in the short term, the new interchange will be used for Transport for Wales rail replacement services.

A spokesperson for the council said: “Unfortunately, the interchange has been completed at a very difficult time for the bus industry.

“Reductions in government funding, reduced post-pandemic passenger numbers, and a shortage of drivers have all contributed to reductions in bus services.

“The council is in discussions with local bus providers to see if the new interchange can be incorporated into any existing routes."

The council went on to say they have supported bus services.

“Since April, the Council has increased spending on local bus services by more than £100,000, taking our total investment this year to around £500,000.

“This funding has been used to provide bus services where companies do not operate on a commercial basis, including the rural Vale, and to pay operators to run services that we know are valued by the community in the evening and on weekends.”