LIVERPOOL Central will officially be a “slum station” for years to come, after the new government quietly cancelled a multi-million pound upgrade.

A revamp announced last November - to move escalators, install a new lift, put in convenient information boards and build a new free-standing roof - has fallen victim to the painful spending squeeze.

Plans to transform Warrington Bank Quay station, creating a modern entrance, canopy and illuminated signs, new steps and a disabled access ramp, have also been culled.

Both stations were officially branded “slums” by Network Rail inspectors sent in by Labour’s Transport Secretary Lord Adonis. They were listed among Britain’s ten worst.

Lord Adonis responded to the roll-call of shame by pledging £50m to upgrade all ten stations, announcing: “I was shocked by the state of many stations.”

But Network Rail was ordered to slash £100m from its budget as part of the £6.2bn of immediate cuts announced by the Con-Lib coalition, with half coming from the station upgrade pot.

To the fury of Riverside MP Louise Ellman, the chairwoman of the Commons transport select committee, the decision was never revealed to MPs – or passengers.

The Labour MP said: “This is a fresh blow to rail passengers in Liverpool. It’s extremely disturbing, especially the way it has been done so secretly.

“Liverpool Central is a very bad station and this was a much-needed improvement. It’s overcrowded and it needs additional capacity, so more trains can come in and to keep cars off the road.”