Railway station revamp set for spring completion

Council bosses say the railway station offers visitors their first impression of the town

Work to improve the approach and entrance to a railway station in Staffordshire is set to be completed in the spring, the local authority has said.

The scheme, which started this month, will include refurbishment of the concourse at Stafford railway station as well as increased disabled parking nearby and a larger short-stay public car park.

Councillor Rob Kenney, the council's deputy leader, said: "This [project] will be a fantastic advert for the town."

The station project is part of wider improvements to the town centre which has seen £1m spent on refurbishment of Market Square and work start on the Guildhall Shopping Centre and former Co-op department store.

"It is great to see this work under way as it is another piece in our jigsaw of transforming the town centre," Mr Kenney added.

The council said it wanted a mix of residential and commercial uses for the former department store and shopping centre - both of which face on to Market Square.

The frontages of both buildings would be retained, a spokesperson added.