A revamp of St Albans City Rail Station which “can’t come soon enough” hinges on a crucial funding decision next month.

Station operator Govia Thameslink Railways (GTR) has applied for £5 million from a special Department for Transport (DfT) fund which will provide more than two-thirds of the finance required to carry out improvements.

The DfT is due to announce its decision on the application in mid-December.

Councillor Anthony Rowlands, chairman of the local services scrutiny committee at St Albans City Council, said: “As a regular user of St Albans City Rail Station, I am well aware that conditions have been unsatisfactory for many years. This work can’t come soon enough.

“The improvements, particularly the enlargement of the Ridgmont Road entrance, are long overdue.

“Govia got the franchise partly on the promise of improvements to stations and we will be watching to make sure they see this through.

“St Albans needs a first class rail station.”

The Ridgmont Road entrance, which according to GTR’s local development manager Andrew Sidgwick, resembles a “greenhouse”, will be pulled down and replaced with a larger building.

More ticket gates will also be installed to reduce the rush-hour exit queues as well as more ticket machines.

A new cycle hub with a repair shop and shower facilities will be built beside it and there will also be a sit-down café. Toilet facilities will be constructed on the adjoining platform 4.

Parking bays will be removed to make a wider, safer footpath to the entrance and other alterations include expanding the main entrance’s concourse and converting a staff area into a shop.

If all the finance is obtained, then – after station users have been consulted –work will begin in December 2016 and will be completed in May 2018.

The landlord, Network Rail, will have to agree to the changes.