THE £468,000 transformation of a Teesside railway station will begin on Monday.

The work, at Thornaby Station, will provide a new station building, restoring a staffed ticket office to the station for the first time since 1979, along with a retail unit and improved waiting facilities for passengers.

A 60-space car park and covered cycle stands are to be provided in the platform area, the lighting system will be replaced and security television and electronic passenger information installed.

The booking office will be manned from 7am to 6pm, creating up to four jobs.

Stockton Borough Council is contributing £249,000 towards the project, with a further £40,000 coming from Arriva Trains Northern, which operates trains serving the station.

The Strategic Rail Authority has also announced funding of £179,000 for the project through its Rail Passenger Partnership.

Councillor Steve Walmsley, the council's cabinet member for Borough South, said: "I am sure this news will be welcomed by the people of Thornaby.

"This is a very important piece in our regeneration jigsaw and it will form a much-improved entrance to the town for rail travellers."

During the past three years, passenger numbers have grown from 154,000 per year to 210,000, with more people using the station to get to Stockton and the new Teesdale development with its flats, offices and university buildings.

Councillor Bob Cook, the council's cabinet member for regeneration and development said: "This is great news for the many people who use Thornaby Station. The improved facilities can only encourage more people to use the rail services."

His views were echoed by Peter Limbert, regional director of Arriva Trains, who said the company was pleased that the station would benefit from redevelopment.

He said: "This investment will bring about substantial improvements to the level of service available to people travelling to and from Thornaby and will help encourage more people to use the train.

"Services will operate normally throughout the work and any disruption will be kept to a minimum."

The improvements are expected to be completed by July.