CREWE Station is finally on track for a long-awaited re-vamp after being named in Cheshire County Council's key transport priorities.

The proposed £30m over-haul of the Victorian railway station, dubbed the Crewe Rail Gateway, has been listed as the second most important Cheshire project over the next five years.

The station has been crying out for investment for years but its inclusion in the county council's provisional Local Transport Plan (LTP) for Cheshire 2006-2011 should help push the plans forward.

Despite the news, borough councillors have expressed their disappointment that it is not top of the county council's agenda.

Cllr David Brickhill said: 'I would love to see the scheme at the top of the list because if it was we would definitely see the project start moving.

'Crewe Station has gone too many years without a deserved upgrade, and we have seen stations like London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly undergo radical improvements.'

Back in November, members of a partnership including Virgin Trains, the North West Development Agency, Network Rail and MMU Cheshire lobbied the Government to help fund a complete transformation of the station.

Now Mr Brickhill wants to get local businesses such as Bentley, Electra Way computer firm Fujitsu and South Cheshire Chamber of Trade on board to help get the scheme moving.

The overhaul would see a new entrance off Weston Road to replace Royal Mail's sorting office, along with a multi-storey car park and pick-up and drop-off points.

The proposed upgrade of concourse facilities and platforms would also offer passengers a speedier ticket service, clearer directions and modern shops.

Before this becomes a reality, funding is needed to assist the borough and county council.

Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council leader Peter Kent said: 'What we have now is a 19th century railway station.

'What we want is a 21st century station.

'But the councils cannot do this alone. The railway authorities need to come through with something.'

Consultation of the first draft of the Local Transport Plan for Cheshire takes place in the next two weeks and the final draft of the plan will be completed by March 2006. It will eventually go to the Department for Transport for approval and funding.