A MAJOR overhaul of a town's bus station is about to go ahead.

Middlesbrough bus station, opened by actress and star of television's Coronation Street, the late Pat Phoenix, in 1982, is showing signs of wear and tear.

Cracks in the station's concrete access ramp, traversed by several thousand buses a week, are leaking water into a row of shops underneath the structure.

At least £497,000 has been earmarked in next year's Middlesbrough Council budget to carry out repairs.

But in a report to councillors, officers have warned: "The project carries significant risks in terms of the unknown condition of the concrete structure, potential claims for disruption from the bus operators and the shop tenants, and impact on the town's transport infrastructure."

A council spokesman said: "After more than 22 years of continuous daily use, the surface of the ramp is at the end of its useful life.

"As a result of a number of cracks in the ramp, water is leaking into the main structure of the bus station.

"In the next few days, we will be excavating a section of the ramp to get a better picture of the extent of the work required and how long we will need to carry out some of the repairs.''

He added: "We will then consult with transport operators and bus station tenants to see how we can minimise the disruption that will occur while the ramp is repaired."

Councillors are to be asked to waive standing orders to allow a contractor partner to be appointed at the earliest opportunity, to help to identify the extent of the problems at the station and to plan a repair programme accordingly.