A long-awaited £5.4m revamp of Didcot’s railway station forecourt looks set to be given the thumbs-up.

Transport officers have recommended that the project to transform the forecourt of the station is given the support of Oxfordshire county councillors at a meeting on Tuesday.

This would mean that a planning application can be submitted next month to South Oxfordshire District Council.

The county council had originally hoped to submit a planning application in October 2007, but there were delays with the design. The work could now be finished by spring next year.

Didcot Town Council chairman John Flood welcomed the step forward.

He said: “My first reaction is ‘not before time’.

“The project is vitally important, because it’s part of the Didcot revamp and Didcot will become the major town of Oxfordshire, after the city, and the major station in Oxfordshire.

“It’s vital and will be a great boost for the town.”

The scheme, which will be paid for by the county council, aims to create a gateway for the town with better facilities for walkers, cyclists and bus users.

Redundant buildings on the forecourt will be demolished so that there is separate space for buses, taxis, bikes and cars.

There will be a central pedestrian area flanked by a dedicated bus and delivery area and a larger taxi rank.

More cycle parking will be provided, along with a drop-off point for cars.

Ian Hudspeth, the county council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “At busy times, the current station forecourt becomes gridlocked as each transport mode jostles for the same limited space, causing safety issues for pedestrians and delays to local bus services.

“With the population of Didcot and surrounding parts of South Oxfordshire forecast to grow, we need to make sure that the railway station is fit to serve the purpose of being a major gateway to the area and a linchpin of its transport network.”