A NEW £3.5 million rail station was officially opened in Newport today.

Pye Corner station opened just eight months after work started, and is said to be one of the quickest new station builds the Department of Transport has ever seen.

It is jointly funded by the Welsh Government and the Department of Transport’s New Station Fund, which pledged to build five new stations across the UK. Building work started in April this year.

The Rogerstone-based station which will feature CCTV, a car park for 62 cars and electric car charging points, will help relieve road congestion and boost the local economy.

The project also included creating a new road lay out on the Western Valley road and High Cross lane, with a new mini roundabout to ease traffic.

The station will be served by the hourly Ebbw Vale to Cardiff service with the potential for more destinations in the future.

Welsh Government Transport Minister Edwina Hart said: "I want to ensure people have access to the efficient and comfortable public transport services they need. Ebbw Vale railway line is already very popular, with some 300,000 journeys annually.

“Together with the new Ebbw Vale Town station, which is opening soon, Pye Corner will improve access to jobs and services for many people along this busy route.”

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer said: "Pye Corner station will make a huge difference to local people. By helping passengers’ access work and leisure, it will help build a stronger economy. The design and building of the station has also been carried out in an amazingly short time to benefit passengers as soon as possible.

"Funding projects like this are at the heart of the government's record investment in the railway. More than £38 billion will be spent on the network in the next five years.”

Rogerstone councillor Chris Evans has now called for a link to Newport city centre from Pye Corner, saying it is “essential to the future prosperity and regeneration of our city centre”.