Work starts this month on a £1.8 million project to improve a gateway to a town centre.

Network Rail is spending the cash at Bingley Railway Station to make it more accessible, improve the waiting room and paint canopies and a bridge.

The spruce-up has been welcomed by Councillor David Heseltine (Con, Bingley) who said: “It’s a significant transport building and it’s looking a little dowdy. Hopefully ideally a good tidy-up and paint and improvement can only bring a benefit.”

Three packages of work are planned for the station in Wellington Street and are supported by the Railway Heritage Trust. As part of the National Stations Improvement Programme, £146,000 will be spent on Northern Rail work between May and July on new windows and a level route to the entrance of the station, plus some waiting room improvements.

The gates from the front of the station will be conserved and mounted on the wall nearby. At the same time work gets under way on the Access for All scheme. Between May and March, 2014, £1.77 million will be spent on Network Rail works to bring the station into compliance with Department of Transport guidelines, including a new drop-off point and lifts to the footbridge. The bridge and canopies are also being painted. Howard Martin, president of Bingley Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said: “Anything that makes the town and rail approach better is always good news. It’s so easy to let things deteriorate and go to wrack and ruin. Any money being spent on sprucing up or renovating and buildings is good news as far as we’re concerned. We were pleased to hear the work is happening and look forward to seeing it.”

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Stations are important gateways to the locations they serve and these projects will deliver real benefits to passengers at Bingley. We will work closely with Northern Rail to minimise disruption to passengers while the work is carried out.”