IT IS AN introduction to Southampton for thousands of travellers every year.

And now long-awaited plans to improve the area around the city’s central station are set to be approved.

City council chiefs are expected to approve £2.28 million of improvements to the north of the station, which handles six million passenger movements every year.

And they hope revamping the look of the dilapidated area could even bring a jobs boost to the city by attracting new businesses.

The council Cabinet is likely to approve spending on the first phase of improvements, which include new footpath and road surfaces, a new taxi rank, a pedestrian crossing and widespread public realm improvements to the north of the station.

And that is just the first phase of an estimated £10 million project, which will eventually include an upgrade to the station’s forecourt, new rail, bus, cycle, taxi and pedestrian facilities and improvements to public open spaces.

Ahead of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, the council’s Cabinet member for economic development and leisure, Matt Tucker, pictured below, said: “As one of the main gateways into Southampton, the improvements are intended to provide a better arrival experience for people visiting the city.

“We also expect the public realm improvements to inject a lot more vibrancy and economic activity into an area which has been calling for investment for a long while and we want to ensure that people enjoy this particular space, as well as just passing through it.”

Among the improvements will be a renewal of footway and road surfaces along Blechynden Terrace, Southbrook Road and West Park Road.

There will also be a taxi rank and turning circle to the west of the station forecourt, a pedestrian crossing point where Blechynden Terrace meets West Park Road, and cycle lanes on the northern and southern sides of West Park Road.

The council has published artist’s impressions of what the improvements may look like, although the design is still subject to change.

If the plans are approved on Tuesday, construction work will commence in October and could be completed in March.

The first phase will be entirely funded by Government grants and contributions by developers building in Southampton.

Cllr Tucker added: “A champions group was established at the very outset of the scheme by the council to engage with local residents and business on their views of how the scheme should look and we have taken steps, where possible, to meet the aspirations of the community.

“Once complete, the scheme will provide an improved public realm, better pedestrian crossing facilities, quality planting, highways materials and street furniture and better wayfinding routes.”