People in Ilkeston will soon be able to get the train into Nottingham and Sheffield as Derbyshire County Council has been given the green light to build a station in the town.

Ilkeston is one of four towns being given Government cash to help build a new station.

£4.574 million has been earmarked for the development as part of the Department of Transport's £20 million New Station Fund.

Councillor Joan Dixon, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Employment and Transport, said: "This is great news for Ilkeston.

"And as the largest town in the UK without a train station, it's nothing less than the town deserves.

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"That's why we're has been working hard for years to secure the development.

"We're committed to building a strong economy that creates jobs and grows businesses and the new station will help improve access to jobs, training and education.

"It will also help reduce congestion on local roads too."

Ilkeston already has a passenger rail line running through the town.

The station will be built on land between Station Road and Millership Way to include two platforms linked by a footbridge.

Each platform will have a waiting shelter and will be long enough to accommodate trains with at least six carriages.

There will be no attendant at the station but passengers will be able to use tickets machines on the platforms and there will also be customer information screens, passenger help points, and CCTV.

The station will include a new car park with 150 parking spaces, including disabled parking, cycle storage, a drop off point and taxi rank.

(CD/MH)