THE £468,000 transformation of a Teesside railway station has been completed.

Thornaby Station has been given a new waiting room, shop and a ticket office, together with a 60-space park-and-ride car park and covered cycle parking facilities.

Five display screens have been installed to improve the quality of information provided to passengers and security cameras and upgraded lighting have been installed to make the station safer for users.

The upgrade has transformed the station into a public transport and park-and-ride interchange.

Use of the station has grown almost 40 per cent over the past five years, and is expected to continue to grow with further developments in Teesdale and employment opportunities in Stockton and Thornaby.

Stockton Borough Council contributed £249,000 towards the project, with a further £40,000 coming from Arriva Trains Northern, which operates trains serving the station.

The Strategic Rail Authority also announced funding of £179,000 for the project through its Rail Passenger Partnership.

Council cabinet member for regeneration and development, Councillor Bob Cook, said: "The newly-refurbished station at Thornaby is an important part of the regeneration of the Stockton borough and is great news for the many people who already use the station.

"Together with the new 525 shuttle bus service, which will run between the station, Teesdale and Stockton High Street every 15 minutes from Monday, I am sure the improvements will encourage still more people to use the railway station."

The shuttle bus will be provided thanks to the council's successful Urban Bus Challenge bid for £262,500.

Stockton council identified a need to improve access by public transport to the Teesdale area through working with Teesdale Business Association and other organisations in the area.

The bus, which will run from Monday, will have a low floor and will run every 15 minutes, Monday to Friday, from 7.45am to 6.15pm. The vehicle is fuelled by LPG to reduce emissions and minimise the impact on the environment.