Work has finally started on the new £500,000 park and ride at Elsecar train station - after months of delays.

Workmen moved onto the site off Millhouses Street, Hoyland, on Monday and are expected to be there for about 20 weeks.

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) is behind the project, which was initially due to be start in April.

It was put back again in May but Coun Robin Franklin said that it was 'fantastic' news the project is finally getting underway.

There will be 83 parking bays, allowing residents to park up and catch the train. People currently have to travel to Wombwell or Chapeltown to make use of similar facilities.

There will be vehicle access to the site from Millhouses Street and pedestrian access from Hill Street.

Coun Franklin said: "It's fantastic news. We've waited a long time for this to happen. A start road has already been put in.

"The parking in that area is really bad. You've got people parking outside the post office and people parking at the top of the yellow lines. Then there's people who park across the road which narrow it down, so only one car can get past."

The project when it was announced that Barnsley would get a share of £24.6m given to SYPTE to improve public transport in the area.

SYPTE predicted the number of Elsecar rail passengers would increase by 70 per cent by 2014/15 with the new park and ride.

There are also plans to realign the bus and train times so they match up.

Along with the parking spaces, there are plans for beween 25 and 30 houses, LED lighting and CCTV on the north side of the station.

A spokesman for SYPTE said: "This facility will widen the travel options for people in the Elsecar and Hoyland area who may not have been able to access the station previously and it will give a well-lit and monitored area where people can leave their cars with confidence."