Passengers in Honiton to benefit from £1.4 million station improvement scheme

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South West Trains passengers will welcome the start of the second phase of a £1.4 million programme to improve Honiton station. This project, financed by South West Trains, Devon County Council, Network Rail and the National Station Improvement Programme (Department for Transport funding), will deliver a more accessible station for Honiton.

Once complete, the project will provide a much improved station environment, featuring a new, brighter and enlarged booking hall as well as new toilets, with accessible toilet and changing facilities. There is also provision for a retail unit, for which expressions of interest have already been received. Both platforms will be equipped with accessible ramps, making it easier for all passengers to use the station.

Another improvement includes additional cycling facilities, equipped with shelters and CCTV, as part of South West Trains’ commitment to deliver greener travel and provide over 1000 new bike spaces by spring 2011.

Some improvements have already taken place with the construction of a station footbridge by Network Rail earlier this year. In addition, South West Trains has already delivered a new shelter to provide convenient extra waiting space before the winter.

Angela Mollo, Estate Project Manager at South West Trains said: “We are pleased to be delivering this significant project with our partners to provide a much improved and brighter station for Honiton’s passengers. We are committed to improving passengers’ travel experience so that their rail journey will be comfortable, convenient and easy. We hope the new 21st century Honiton station will encourage more people to try the train. I am sure passengers will be very proud of their new look station for years to come.”

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for roads and transportation, said: “These improvements will provide more comfortable, accessible facilities for everyone using Honiton station, and we are pleased to be involved in this project. Already the new hourly service has attracted increasing numbers of travellers, and these additional features should encourage more people, in particular cyclists, to think about the train as an alternative means of transport.”

The improvement work will be carried out with minimal disruption to passengers and extra steps will be taken to keep the station open at all times. The improvement work is scheduled to be completed by spring 2011.

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