PLANS to improve Chester-le-Street's rundown railway station have been welcomed.

But station master Alex Nelson, who runs the Chester-le-Track ticket agency, based at the Network Rail-owned station, says the work is long overdue.

Durham County Council's cabinet has approved £70,000 for a new passenger shelter on the northbound platform and cycle parking.

Chester-le-Street District Council is also planning to spend £105,000 on improvements on the southbound side by rebuilding the station canopy, removing an old shelter and fitting a passenger information system.

Mr Nelson said the station, which has Virgin cross-country and Trans-Pennine trains stopping at it, was being used by more and more people.

He said: "It is very welcome but it should have been done five years ago - that's when the money was put in to do the station up.

"At the moment, passengers wanting to commute to Newcastle on a wet morning have nowhere to stand.

"The station is very well-used. We think there about three times as many people using it as in 1999, without any improvement in facilities."

People can use the waiting room in the main station building on the southbound platform during the day from Monday to Saturday, but outside that they have to use the platform shelters.

Mr Nelson said that passengers could now get information on trains from mobile phones by texting the letters cls to 484950.

A report to the county council said that a study by consultants concluded that the station was rundown and needed improving.

George Mansbridge, Chester-le-Street council's head of regeneration, said: "The refurbishment of the station is just part of the council's wider regeneration effort with the help of various partners, particularly OneNorthEast and Durham County Council.

"Putting Chester-le-Street on the map is as important as making access to the district as attractive as possible, whether by road or rail."