BLACKBURN Railway Station is set for a high speed passage into the Year 2000 with news that another £2 million is to be spent on it.

Railtrack announced the refurbishment package this week and work is expected to begin in early 1998 - giving the town a station to be proud of by the turn of the century.

The station has already undergone a multi-million pound revamp where last year's Phase One programme included the cleaning up of the Victorian frontage. Phase Two work will include improving the interior and platforms but a feasibility study will first take place to decide what exactly needs to be done.

The Blackburn revamp is part of a £1 billion package of improvements at 2,500 stations across the country with 395 stations in the North West zone.

Chris Leah, North West area director, said: "Railtrack is committed to playing a pivotal role in building a modern, safe and efficient railway network and 10 years from now, Britain will have a railway that is second to none, both in the quality of its infrastructure and the dependability of its train service."

Council leader Malcolm Doherty added: "I'm very pleased to hear that Railtrack will now work on the interior of the station because it is in a desperate state. The station is often the first sight many visitors to Blackburn see and it is pretty depressing. It will be great for the town once the work has been completed because it will be in keeping with all the work that has gone on in the town centre in recent years."

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