RUABON Railway Station has been given a national award following its £500,000 facelift.

The Community Rail Awards 2005, organised by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP), awarded it second prize in the Local Transport Integration section.

With support from Wrexham County Borough Council and funding from TAITH, the regional transport consortium for North Wales, pedestrian access, car parking and facilities for the bus link to the station were all improved at Ruabon.

These were the first Community Rail Awards, making Ruabon's re-cognition even more special. It competed against 200 other stations across Britain in the category.

Sheila Dee, community rail officer for the Chester-Shrewsbury line which passes through Ruabon, accepted the award on behalf of the Chester-Shrewsbury Rail Partner-ship.

She said: 'The major improvements at Ruabon are part of the local strategy to improve transport integration at stations and in preparation of the new timetable that is being launched in December by Arriva Trains Wales.

'With eight more trains per day, the Chester-Shrewsbury line will have a full hourly service, with trains for Cardiff, Birmingham, Holyhead and the North Wales coast stopping at Ruabon.'

Information on rail travel and timetables is available by calling 08457 48 49 50 or visiting www. chester2shrewsburyrail.co.uk.