Work on a near-£2million refurbishment of Ipswich railway station has started – and is set to continue until August next year.

East Anglian Daily Times: An artists' impression of the new station entrance at IpswichAn artists' impression of the new station entrance at Ipswich (Image: Archant)

The first phase to start is the £1m rebuild of the main station building.

The WH Smith newsagent and Pumpkin buffet have been closed and are currently being knocked out to create a much larger central concourse for passengers. Around this will be created a number of individual stalls, including a new site for the newsagent and a new buffet stall.

There will be seats in the concourse and new barriers separating the ticket hall from the area with direct access to the platform.

In the new year work is due to start on rebuilding the forecourt of the station, with new taxi areas, and new areas for passengers to be dropped off by private cars. The entrance to the multi-storey car park and to a new short-stay parking area will be separated from that to the station itself and there will be more space for pedestrians to circulate around the station entrance.

East Anglian Daily Times: An artists' impression of the new station entrance at IpswichAn artists' impression of the new station entrance at Ipswich (Image: Archant)

The forecourt work is expected to cost about £850,000 and is a joint project between Abellio Greater Anglia, Suffolk County Council and Ipswich Borough Council.

That part of the station work is due to be completed in June next year, with the internal work due for completion in August.

A spokesman for Abellio Greater Anglia said: “There is a considerable amount of work to be done internally. The station will be completely changed and that will take time.

“However, we do expect to see the retail outlets open gradually as the parts of the station are completed.

“In the meantime newspapers are being sold at the Coffee Link outlet on the station and there will be a temporary Pumpkin kiosk on the station platform.”