I welcome the news that Sunderland station is receiving its long-awaited upgrade, as Sunderland Council continues its transformation of the city.

I have been calling for an upgrade to our train station for many years. In 2017 I wrote to Network Rail, outlining the need for a revamp to the main entrance to our city, and in 2018 I showed them round the crumbling, weathered station, after calling for urgent action to rectify years of neglect.

I am therefore extremely pleased that the plans for Sunderland station have come into fruition.

As the gateway for many to our city, first impressions are important – and Sunderland deserves better that what it has now.

This is why the news that the Council is going ahead with plans is such great news. Working with Network Rail, Nexus, Grand Central and Northern Rail, this £26million investment in a new station is key to the future of the city centre.

The station redevelopment is a further example of the ambition that Sunderland as a city has for its future.

From the incredible news of Nissan and Envision’s investment in new green technologies at its Sunderland Plant, alongside the council’s first-of-its-kind investment into a local microgrid, to the Vaux site redevelopments, the riverside rejuvenation and the Sunderland Empire celebrating its 114^th anniversary, now is a great time to be living, working and visiting Sunderland.

I will be following developments at the Station closely, and I look forward to visiting the station every step of the development process.

This is great news for the city – Sunderland is showing its ambitious plans for the future. The next goal is to attract new routes to the area, so we can open up the country through direct travel to different destinations. There is no better time to invest in the city, and I am looking forward to what is to come in the future.

You can find BBC News’ report on the station here.