PLANS for a £500,000 improvement to Darwen’s railway station are being reviewed in light of cutbacks.

Increased passenger numbers prompted a review of the station in August 2008, and talks have been ongoing between Blackburn with Darwen Council, Northern Rail and Network Rail.

These talks centre on building a manned ticket office, a waiting area to replace the two existing shelters and improving passenger information, since early last year.

Funding was allocated to the project from the council capital programme funding in 2009/10, and described as a priority.

But in May 2009, then Darwen MP Janet Anderson hit out at the ‘snail’s pace’ in the project, and it was revealed that no work would take place before the end of the financial year in March 2010.

Now the council has said that designs will be reviewed by officers “shortly”, and although the allocation of money still stands, officers are looking at whether cost-saving measures can be made.

Councillor Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration, said: "We are still looking at possible designs for Darwen station.

“We are also talking to Network Rail, to ensure any building is designed and built to rail industry standards so that they will adopt it when it is ready.

"Clearly, we are looking at all spending decisions carefully.

"This scheme is no different. The key thing is that this scheme is the best possible value for money."

Some 250,000 passengers use the station each year, which is served by Northern Rail services on the Ribble Valley line from Manchester Victoria and Bolton to Blackburn and into Clitheroe.

It was thought that a manned ticket office could reduce incidents of vandalism and fare-dodging.

The council has already paid to install CCTV, landscaping and to repaint the station.