YORK Railway Station is set for a major redevelopment, including a new customer zone, first class lounge and shops, The Press can reveal.

Virgin, which runs the station as well as train services down the East Coast Mainline to London, says it intends to replace the station’s traditional travel centre with a more open-plan customer zone.

Staff will no longer sit behind counters but ‘interact’ with passengers, selling them tickets using new technology such as hand held devices, if they prefer not to use machines, or helping them to use new ticket machines if they want assistance.

Customer experience director Claire Ansley said that while 57 per cent of Virgin train tickets were now bought online, the company recognised some customers wanted to be able to talk to staff to plan their journey and buy tickets without using a machine.

She said the changes would result in a reduction in the number of roles at the station, where 71 people are employed, including 23 in the travel centre.

But she pledged that every employee who wanted to continue working for Virgin would be able to do so in other roles.

Anyone who wanted to leave would be offered voluntary redundancy and there would be no compulsory redundancies, she said.

She added: “We are currently consulting with staff and trades unions.”

Mrs Ansley said there was also scope for a significant expansion of the retail offer at the station, mainly through the conversion of existing buildings which were currently used mainly for Virgin offices - although welfare facilities for staff would be maintained.

While she could not at this stage name any of the retailers which might occupy the new shops, other key stations along the line such as Newcastle feature big names such as Boots, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury.

She said York was now the only key station along the East Coast line without a first class lounge, and customers said during research that they wanted one. She said the changes would be “respectful of the heritage” of the historic, grade-two listed building, and there would be discussions with planners and other stakeholders prior to submission of a planning application this summer.

The specific locations for the customer zone and first class lounge had not yet been finalised, and potential designs were being worked on.

But she hoped the works would be completed by early next year, well before Virgin’s new fleet of Azuma trains starts coming into operation later in 2018.

“This is part of a total investment of £140 million by Virgin along the East Coast line over eight years,” she said.

She felt the new facilities would be of benefit to both York residents travelling away by train, but also tourists arriving in the city.

“This is the first thing they see of York and we want to ensure a great customer experience for them, with as many facilities as possible available before they head into the city.”

Sean McGowan, of the RMT union, said he was dismayed Virgin had briefed the local media while negotiations were still ongoing, claiming it had given the union assurances this would not happen.

He said he could not comment further until the negotiations were concluded, other than to say the union was committed to ensuring the best possible deal for its members.