AN AMBITIOUS £2 million redevelopment programme has finally begun on a long-standing town centre eyesore.

And materials used in the reconstruction of Blackburn's railway and bus stations are intended to make the area vandal-proof such as toughened glass, floodlighting and highly resistant brick.

Inspector Adrian Dolphin, a spokesman for Blackburn Police, welcomed the proposed measures.

"Any measures which combat vandalism will go a long way to making the town centre a safer and more pleasant place for the general public."

Major building work scheduled for the coming months is regarded as the final stage in the town's refurbishment, following the new shopping centre and the M65 motorway link.

"This is the last piece in the jigsaw," enthused Gail Barton, chair of the council's development services committee.

"The public has been waiting for this work to start for ages. Blackburn can at last have modern, state-of-the-art town centre transport facilities."

Contractors are expected to demolish the dilapidated Boulevard bus station next month to make way for a bright new passenger terminus costing around £1m, complete with recreation space, closed circuit security cameras and re-surfaced roads.

Scaffolding is already in place at the ageing Victorian railway station.

"We're going to transform the building's facade," promised project chief John Pengelly of Railtrack.

"A new glass veranda will replace the existing structure and brickwork will be cleaned up and repointed.

"We're spending around £800,000 to bring the station up to date and, yes, we're going to get the clock working again!"

Bus stops will be temporarily relocated around the town centre to cause minimum disruption and access to the railway station should not be affected.

Building work at both locations is expected to be completed during the summer.

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