RADICAL changes will be made to Blackburn railway station in a £5 million plan submitted to Blackburn with Darwen Council.

The existing station roof and platform buildings could be demolished if councillors give their approval to the modernisation work.

A smaller roof could be constructed covering platforms one and two of the station and new waiting areas will also be created.

The rear wall of the station will be reduced to ground level so it will be possible to look directly from the Boulevard on to platforms to see trains come and go. But the station frontage, including the booking office and cafe area, will be retained as they are at present. This area was modernised in a separate scheme in the 1980s.

A part of the currently disused platform four will be given limited modernisation work so that it can be ready for use in emergencies.

And the long disused platform five will be set aside for 'public art' work with an artist commissioned to give the rear of the station a brighter appearance.

Subways and steps leading to the platforms will also be modernised.

Railtrack announced it was spending £5 million on the station last month after originally saying £4 million earlier in the summer.

Work is scheduled to begin in January, provided members of the council's planning committee give the plans the green light at a future meeting.

The work is part of a rolling five year project by Railtrack to revamp most stations in the North West.

Blackburn will be the first East Lancashire station to be targeted with work already taking place or completed at Manchester Piccadilly, Bolton and Preston.

Transport chiefs have in the past described the dilapidated station as a 'barrier' to rail travel in East Lancashire.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.