A key stage of work to create a new railway station in Rochester is set to begin.

The car park in Corporation Street will be cordoned off from Monday next week to make way for the new station building.

The project to move the terminal 500m up the track from its current location began last year.

At Easter a pedestrian subway was installed under the track to connect the new riverside development to the rest of Rochester, and work on two of the platforms is now well under way.

The next major stage of the work will be constructing the station building itself on part of the Corporation Street car park.

Part of the car park, next to S&B car and van hire, will be closed off from next Monday to allow enabling work to start. Construction on the glass building itself will begin in January. A new pay and display car park has been built off Gas House Road to replace the lost spaces.

The new station is one of the biggest schemes in the south east undertaken by Network Rail. It will allow 12-car trains to stop in the town.

Work to extend the platforms was not possible at the existing station. The new terminal, costing £26m, will include a car park on the river side of the tracks and step-free access to all platforms. It will be become operational in December next year.

The station is part of a £135 million investment programme, with work also taking place at Strood, Rainham and on the Medway Valley Line.

• More in the Medway Messenger on Friday.