Work will start next month on a new multi-million pound station in Wokingham. The new station will have better access and will include improved retail facilities, better waiting areas and new information screens, providing passengers with a more pleasant start and finish to their journey.

A new footbridge will link both platforms and provide step free access from the main station entrance. A new access road will be built and a new interchange will provide improved links with other public transport.

The improvements at the station are being delivered by the Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance and are funded by Wokingham Borough Council, the National Station Improvement Programme and Access for All money. Costing £6m, the work will be completed in August 2013.

Contractors will be on site from Wednesday 28 November and, despite the station being completely rebuilt, trains will continue to run as normal throughout the redevelopment.

Ahead of work starting on site, a public event is taking place on Wednesday 7 November between 1400 and 2000 at Wokingham Town Hall. This will be an opportunity to outline what will be happening, when and why and provide an opportunity for local people to put questions to the Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance and Wokingham Borough Council.

Tim Shoveller, managing director of the Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance said: “The new station in Wokingham will make a huge difference to the thousands of passengers who use the railway in the town every day.

“As well as providing a safe and reliable train service, we want to improve facilities and make our stations better and more attractive places for passengers. Once complete, Wokingham will be a modern and fit for purpose station which will serve the town for many years to come.”

Cllr Keith Baker, executive member for highways and planning at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “This is the start of this exciting project which, along with the new station link road, will transform the experience of Wokingham’s commuters and motorists. Officers from the council will be happy to answer any questions people may have about the station link road scheme at the event at Wokingham Town Hall.”

To complement the station improvements, additional services are planned between Wokingham and London Waterloo from summer 2014. The Network Rail and South West Trains Alliance is planning an additional 0624 and 0654 service from Reading to London Waterloo via Wokingham; and in the evening an additional 1805 and 1935 will be introduced from London Waterloo to Reading via Wokingham.