THE UK Transport Minister visited the soon-to-be finished Pye Corner railway station in Newport today, calling the construction of the station the fastest she has ever seen.

Baroness Kramer visited the construction site in Rogerstone this morning ahead of the new station’s completion and opening on December 14.

The £3.5 million new rail station has been 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.

Baroness Kramer, who met with workers and building contractors Alun Griffiths on the site, said: “Pye Corner is a great example of how our record investment in the railway is building a network that meets the needs of local people and provides real benefits to the economy.”

Work started on the station in April 2014, one of the quickest new station builds the Department of Transport has ever seen.

“This station has basically been 34 weeks in the making. For a station to be built in this short time is incredible, it just shows what you can do when people work in partnership together.

“Pye Corner will be a template for other stations because it works so well. Stations don’t come cheap but it will be a very attractive one and has been designed so it’s got access for people with disabilities.”

It is hoped the single platform station, which will feature CCTV, a car park for 60 cars and electric car charging points, will help to relieve congestion on the roads and boost the local economy.

Once opened in December, the station will be served by the existing hourly Ebbw Vale to Cardiff service with the potential for additional destinations to be introduced in the future.

Project sponsor at the Department of Transport, Tony Potter, said: “What is phenomenal is the speed it’s all come together. It’s been one of the fastest new station builds we’ve ever done if not the fastest.

“It’s because it was a competition to be awarded funding and we set very tight deadlines. We said you can have the funding but we have to have the station in December.”

The department worked closely with Alun Griffiths, contractors for the platform and car park works, and Network Rail.

In May last year, when the investment in Pye Corner was announced, Welsh Government Minister for Economy and Transport Edwina Hart said the new station will greatly improve access to public transport, and help stimulate economic growth.