OXENHOLME railway station is to benefit from thousands of pounds of improvements in the New Year.

Tim Farron MP says the station will be developed to see a new cafe on platform 1 of the southbound-side.

Mr Farron said he met with directors from Virgin and the general manager of the West Coast Main Line and pressed the case for investment.

The cafe provider has not yet been announced, but Mr Farron said it will be based in the old oil stores - described as an under-utilised Victorian room.

Other features will include better provision for cyclists and improved signage.

Train operators Virgin have confirmed the new improvements.

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They also include fitting and installing new automatic doors in the booking hall and waiting room on platform one.

The existing ticket machine and replaced with two new 'Fast Ticket' machines.

Waiting customers will also benefit from new Wifi zones.

A new customer information screen will go in the subway for customers arriving from the Windermere branch line.

There will also be heating in the booking hall for customers waiting and 'more visible' customer service points.

There are hopes the toilets and waiting rooms will also be 'refreshed' and new hand rails for the subway.

There have also been calls for the canopy on platforms two and three to be extended to help passengers avoid the rain and for more information stands for local tourist attractions.

Mr Farron said he is also pressing the tourism minister and Treasury to devolve more cash to Cumbria via Visit Britain to help promote the area.

It came after Mr Farron said he discovered that Marketing Manchester receives £20 million a year.

"Manchester is a great place," said Mr Farron, "but after London, we are England's second 'attack' brand," he said.

"Visit Scotland get £60 million and Cumbria gets around £900,000. We get next to no funding and I'd like to see a more level playing field."

Of Cumbria County Council's recent proposal to withdraw the £89,500 annual funding to Cumbria Tourism, Mr Farron said: "I'm very sympathetic to the council's plight with funding but with the county council being one of the founding partners of Cumbria Tourism, I think it's only right they have some financial involvement in it."