Thousands of train passengers who travel through Ilkley can now benefit from a £625,000 transformation of the town’s railway station.

A 19-week project to improve the station has been completed, including the construction of a new station building, with a ticket office, heated waiting room and waiting shelters.

Customer information screens and CCTV cameras have been installed and the station’s signs and announcement systems have been improved. The entrance canopy has been refurbished and new gates have been fitted.

It was announced earlier this year extra services will take passengers from Ilkley to Leeds from next month.

The refurbishment project was funded by the Department for Transport’s National Station Improvement Programme (NSIP), and delivered in partnership by Northern Rail, Network Rail, Metro and Bradford Council.

Richard Allan, assistant area director at Northern Rail, said: “The thousands of passengers who travel through Ilkley every day will not only benefit from the improvements to their station but will also receive additional services into Leeds from December 12. We have worked hard to deliver a scheme that has a positive impact on as many passengers as possible, and we have certainly achieved that at Ilkley.”

Warrick Dent, general manager at Network Rail, said: “This transformation of Ilkley is the single largest NSIP investment on the northern rail network to date.

Coun Martin Smith (Con, Ilkley) said he welcomed the refurbishment in principle but was concerned the narrowing of part of platform one to allow for the new building might cause problems for travellers at peak times.

“As a piece of design I would think it fits in well, but I think there might be some practical problems with pedestrian flow,” he said.

Peter Johnson, of the Wharfedale Rail Users Group, said although the width of a section of the platform may have reduced slightly he felt the benefits would outweigh any possible disadvantages.

He said: “By and large, we’re very pleased.”