Henry Danter's plan for buses at Barry's bus interchange

Henry Danter says ‘want to fill Barry’s new bus interchange? Give me Hayes Road.’

The Barry Pleasure Park owner is attempting to apply for planning to build a holiday park on the Sully coastline next to Ty Hafan children’s hospice, and says his development could help bring more buses to town.

Barry's bus interchange, still no buses... (Image: Newsquest)

Lots of cars parked at the bus interchange, but no buses…

The idea behind Barry’s new £2.7m interchange was to make a ”huge impact” on public transport in the area, however, currently no buses serve the interchange other than rail replacement buses.

When we visited it at the end of October there were plenty of cars parked there, but, crucially no buses, and the reason?

One of the crucial factors is Covid and Welsh Government’s removal of the Bus Emergency Scheme funding (BES) which supported services during the pandemic.

Now, bus companies are paying for routes themselves again and say because passenger numbers have not recovered fully since Covid they are having to cut back services.

It came to a head at a recent meeting about Adventure Travel’s 304 service in Rhoose where furious members of the public questioned the quality of the service as Adventure Travel explained they were analysing passenger numbers in a replan of the route.

The interchange cost over £2.5m to build (Image: Newsquest)

Members from across the political spectrum have criticised Barry’s bus interchange.

Mayor of Barry Ian Johnson described the interchange as “beautiful”, but asked: “where’s the buses?” while Welsh Conservative shadow transport minister Natasha Asghar described the situation as “ridiculous”.

“There is nothing new about the drop in passengers following Covid 19,” said Cllr Johnson.

“That was known well before the construction of the bus station earlier this year.”

Leader of the Vale Council, Labour’s Lis Burnett has defended the interchange, saying she would “not apologise” for it being built and explained not all aspects of the project can come together at the same time.

The mayor of Barry, Plaid's Ian Johnson has asked the Labour led Vale council, where's the buses? (Image: Supplied)

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

• Vale leader Lis Burnett defends Barry's bus interchange

There is concern about bus services in the Vale with a recent meeting in Rhoose (Image: Newsquest)

‘Hayes Road and the Barry bus interchange will make each other’

It’s up in the air whether Cllr Burnett will see Henry Danter and his plans as the answer to get buses to the interchange.

In March, Cllr Burnett’s planning department put an emergency stop notice on Mr Danter’s Hayes Road development over concerns for nesting birds.

Leisure park owner Henry Danter says he has a plan (Image: Newsquest)

And children's hospice Ty Hafan strongly oppose any plans for development next to their site having recently objected to storage containers being placed there.

The hospice say the peace and tranquillity of their patients is paramount.

But Mr Danter continues to insist the holiday camp project will be good for the area, bringing jobs and economic growth,

He told this publication: “The only way they will get buses at that interchange is if they let the Hayes Road development go ahead. 

“The Hayes Road development would make the park and ride.

“We will bring enough people down here and put two or three bus routes on it.

“One will make the other without a shadow of a doubt.”

Is Henry Danter's holiday camp the answer to bringing buses to Barry's transport interchange? Got a story in Barry? Let us know by emailing harry.jamshidian@newsquest.co.uk.