WORK will start tomorrow on a £460,000 scheme to take York Railway Station's historic entrance into the 21st century.

Council and railway bosses said the 33-week upgrade would make using the station easier and safer for pedestrians, cyclists, bus users and taxi passengers.

The work will include:

A new zebra crossing between the Royal York Hotel and the station

A new puffin crossing in Station Road

Dropped kerbs with tactile paving at all crossing points

Cycle lanes in Station Road.

The taxi rank in the middle of Station Road will also be scrapped to free up road space and relieve congestion, with a new taxi waiting area created instead in the station's long stay car park.

However, taxis will continue to pick up passengers from the station portico.

A new gyratory system will be created for traffic in Tea Room Square, alongside the station, which will be used by all traffic emerging from the portico, and a new Park & Ride bus stop will be built in Station Road.

The scheme will be carried out in stages, with work suspended during Bank Holidays and race meetings, including Royal Ascot at York.

The first phase, which will be completed in time for the Ascot meeting in June, will include widening the footpath alongside the Royal York Hotel.

The project has been devised by City of York Council, in partnership with the train company GNER and Network Rail, as part of York's Local Transport Plan to improve and integrate transport. Ray Chaplin, the authority's head of engineering consultancy, said there had been extensive consultation with cycling, pedestrian and disabled groups, and taxi and bus operators.

He said: "The station frontage has remained largely unchanged since the 1870s and the aim of the project is to make it easier and safer for passengers to use."

Coun Ann Reid, executive member for transport, said the cycle lanes would greatly improve safety for cyclists passing the station, as well as those going into it. "You take your life in your hands going through there at the moment," she said.

GNER spokesman John Gelson said the scheme was an excellent example of co-operation between the company, the council and other organisations. He said: "We're working together to create a quality gateway to the city of York and to the railway."

Updated: 14:30 Monday, April 04, 2005