A £200m transformation programme at Derby station and the “biggest upgrade of the Midland mainline” since it opened in 1870 has now been completed – bringing months of disruption to an end.

Beginning on 22 July, Derby railway station has undergone 79 days of major engineering work to upgrade the track and signalling system, in one of the largest investment projects for decades.

Months of disruption have been experienced by commuters with users having to use replacement buses due to reduced services. A normal timetable of trains is set to return today (8 October).

Network Rail say work undertaken at the station has “removed a key bottleneck and improved line speeds through the station”, providing a more efficient and reliable railway with reduced delays for the four million passengers who use the station every year.

The organisation claim says the months of disruption were needed to make journeys between Derby, London and the North more efficient for passengers. East Midlands Trains services between Matlock and Newark (via Derby) and the full East Midlands Trains timetable between Sheffield, Derby and London St Pancras have returned, with two trains per hour in each direction serving the Midland Main Line. New waiting rooms and facilities have also been constructed to give commuters a more enjoyable experience.

Rob McIntosh, route managing director at Network Rail, said: “The new station facilities, along with the smoother passage of trains through the station means passengers can look forward to a more efficient and enjoyable experience.”

Jake Kelly, managing director at East Midlands Trains, added: “We have worked in partnership with Network Rail and CrossCountry to make it as smooth as possible for customers. However, many have still faced significant disruption and changes to their journeys and we are very grateful for their continued patience and understanding. We are looking forward to reintroducing our full service and making use of the new and improved infrastructure and providing an even better service for our customers.”