A £220m scheme aimed at improving links between the Vale and South Wales Valleys to and from Cardiff, has recently been completed.

The Network Rail improvement project at Barry train station involves the former disused platform 3 being brought back into use, alongside a new loop of track, with services dedicated to Barry Island.

Platforms 1 and 2 will be used for other services.

Work began in the autumn of 2013.

Vale AM Jane Hutt said: “Crucially, the work will improve reliability, due to less congestion on the line, and is also key to unlocking the potential for more frequent services. This will ultimately have significant economic and social benefits by improving access to jobs, education and training opportunities in Cardiff and elsewhere along the line.”

The Barry Island link road, long demanded by campaigning Island residents, is due for completion in the summer of 2015.