Construction work is now well underway at Harrogate station, bringing a host of improvements worth £1.2m to customers using the busy North Yorkshire hub.
Northern Rail, which manages the station, is introducing new and improved facilities after listening to feedback from staff, customers and local businesses.
The work is being done in two phases, costing a total of £1.2m, and is expected to finish in early 2016.
Phase one has already started and includes new toilet facilities, upgrades to the existing waiting room on platform one, and various improvements to the station concourse area.
The station concourse will benefit from a new floor, wall and ceiling finishes as well as lighting upgrades, automatic doors and improvements to the interior decor.
In phase two, a new, heated waiting shelter will be built on platform three for customers who wait there for trains towards Leeds.
The improvements have been funded by the National Station Improvement Programme in partnership with Network Rail and the Department for Transport.
Andrew Jones MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, has welcomed the investment:
It is great to see work underway here at Harrogate station, which will ensure better journeys. The improvement in facilities are delivering a 21st century environment. Of particular importance is the better waiting area on Platform 3. This is overdue and will be warmly welcomed.
It is fantastic to see that customers, staff and local businesses have been listened to. This investment comes on top of the £13 billion we are spending on transport across the North in this Parliament alone, as part of our plans for a Northern Powerhouse to rebalance the economy, which has transport at its core.
Richard Allan, Commercial Director for Northern Rail, said:
Harrogate is one of our busiest stations and we are delighted to be able to secure these improvements.
We announced our draft plans last November and we have included feedback from customers, colleagues and stakeholders into our plans.
The biggest request from feedback was to provide bigger and better waiting area for customers on platform three, so that is now part of our plans.
Gary Walsh, Area Director at Network Rail, added:
Our stations are important gateways to the communities they serve. Harrogate is a crucial part of the economy in Yorkshire and these improvements will help the station to better serve the thousands of passengers which use it every year.
The scheme will cost £1.2m in total and is due to be completed by early 2016.
