Network Rail has reported that its multi-million-pound upgrade of Keighley station in West Yorkshire is well on the way to completion.

Keighley station and the surrounding infrastructure is a Grade II listed building. Extensive renovations being carried out are due to be completed in the new year.

Among the improvements to the station building are a full renewal of the station roof, significant upgrades to the front canopy, and to the waiting room on platform 1.

Work has already finished on strengthening the Western footbridge, which was a major milestone as that now provides an accessible route to platforms 3 and 4 which is the terminus for services on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

To ensure the station’s long-term safety and sustainability, vital structural repairs are being carried out as part of the overall refurbishment.

With Keighley railway station serving both the national rail network and the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, it is a key transport hub for both the local community and tourists, and totals more than one million journeys each year.

With the station holding a huge historical and cultural value for the town, the upgrades will secure the station for the long term.

The upgrade was authorised in 2019, with work expected to start on site in April 2021 and be completed in March 2022. However, The COVID-19 pandemic intervened, so it is only now nearing completion.

A historic water tower on platform 4 at the station on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway has been turned into a contemporary visitor centre thanks to £100,000 from the Government-funded Keighley Towns Fund and £42,000 additional funding from the Railway Heritage Trust.

“Work is progressing well on upgrading this historic station, and we are looking forward to completing the project in the new year. While the scheme has not been without its challenges, we are pleased with the progress made. The main areas of the station will be substantially complete by the end of the year, with the remaining smaller tasks and waiting room expected to be finished in early 2025.”

Jonathan Taylor, portfolio manager for Network Rail’s eastern region