A BUSY Gwent bus station prone to anti-social behaviour is set to benefit from £2 million worth of renovations.

Blackwood bus station will have improved lighting and a CCTV system installed to deter yobbish behaviour during the evenings.

As part of the improvements, a ground-floor level caf and waiting room will also be built as well as better information displays provided for passengers and, for the first time, a formal taxi rank will be established.

The work will be financed thanks to a successful £2 million funding bid by the South East Wales Transport Alliance (Sewta).

Work is due to start in September and will take until summer 2006 to complete.

Sewta board chair Tom Williams said: "The present bus station at Blackwood unfortunately enhances the feeling of isolation from the rest of the town. This had led to problems with anti-social behaviour and has created problems in connection with personal safety.

"The new Blackwood bus station will create a friendlier, modern passenger environment and will be an attractive gateway to an important valleys town.

"In addition, the new layout will solve the difficulties experienced by larger buses manoeuvring in and out of the various bays."

Blackwood councillor Leon Gardiner said: "This is one of the most exciting events in Blackwood and I think the town will build on this.

"In the nights it can be quite an ordeal to catch a bus because there are quite a lot of spots where boys congregate but these cameras will improve accessibility. The plans will only improve the town."

Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge said: "I believe a planning application is due to go in soon and work should commence in September.

"The bus station is badly in need of a revamp because it is a magnet for anti-social behaviour and in the evenings people are afraid to go there."

Sergeant Llysha Williamson, of Blackwood police station, said: "We do have problems at the bus station.

"I know it is one of the areas that the ward officer for Blackwood town centre, PC Dean Harris, is looking at.

"From a police perspective, we would welcome the improvements at the bus station."

Bus passenger Tania Hardman, 43, of Overdene, Pontllanfraith, said: "The station and the toilets are always being vandalised and there are drunks hanging around in the night.

"It's about time it was done. I can't wait for it to be done because it is really behind the times."

See tomorrow's Argus for more reaction from local people.