THE planning chief for Ilkley is to put pressure on the new company which owns Britain's railway lines to speed up plans for Ilkley Station.

Network Rail, which took over from Railtrack last year, has been granted Listed Building planning permission to build a new waiting room, toilet and shelter on Ilkley Station.

But a spokesman for Network Rail said the building work might not be completed for another two years.

The plan was submitted to Ilkley planners last September and permission to carry out the work was granted two months later. The Network Rail spokesman said: "It is still in the planning stage with the Strategic Rail Authority."

Councillor Audrey Brand, the chairman of the Ilkley Parish Council planning committee, promised to contact the rail company and ask them to speed up their plans.

She also intended to bring up the matter at a tourist meeting being held at Westwood Lodge, Wells Road, Ilkley, today. Interested parities, including councillors, business people and local hoteliers were getting together to devise more ways of attracting tourists to the town and its surroundings.

Councillor Brand said: "I will be speaking about this at the tourist meeting at Westwood Lodge. This is essential if we are thinking about bringing people into Ilkley.

"Buses and trains will bring tourists in and they will need somewhere to go.

As well as the plans for Ilkley Station, Metro (the West Yorkshire Transport Authority), is also planning to make improvements at Ben Rhydding Station.

This month the authority starts installing new waiting shelters at railway stations across West Yorkshire this month as part of its commitment to making the public transport safe and secure.

Glazed with clear polycarbonate or toughened glass and fully enclosed to offer improved protection from the elements, the new shelters are replacing the last remaining masonry-built shelters at the county's stations.

In total, 19 shelters will be replaced at 13 stations including Ben Rhydding. The scheme is entirely funded by Metro's Local Transport Plan fund, project managed by Arriva Trains Northern with construction work carried out by Apex Construction of Brighouse. Completion is expected by the end of May.

Tom Wesley the Ilkley-based chairman of the Wharfedale Rail Users' Group, told the Gazette: "We are pleased that more facilities are being provided for passengers."