The state of the ‘gateways’ into any major city is important because they are used daily by commuters and also create that vital first impression for visitors.

That being the case, anyone casting a critical eye over Bradford’s busiest railway station, the Interchange, is likely to conclude it could do with a little TLC.

The most recent improvements saw the installation of £250,000 worth of ticket barriers to crack down on fare dodgers.

They are said to have proved popular with the law-abiding majority who pay their way and are sick of those who don’t.

The barriers should also eventually produce a rise in revenues – extra money which can be reinvested in services and facilities – but they cannot really be said to have improved the station in terms of its appearance.

So proposals put forward for a refurbishment scheme addressing this very issue are a step forward.

No figure is being put on the level of potential investment at the moment so it is not possible to say what sort of impact the revamp may have, but the signs are encouraging.

Indeed, the authorities have created an expectation and passengers will now be looking for them to come up with the goods.

Hopefully, they will not disappoint, and within the next 12 months commuters and visitors will both notice a change for the better.

That may even encourage more people to opt for public transport and leave the car at home, meaning less traffic on the roads and less pollution.