MP opens new ticket office at Benfleet

c2c Managing Director Mark Hopwood was joined - on 17 May - by The Mayor of Castle Point, Cllr Mrs. Beverley Egan, Councillors and invitees when Guest of Honor Dr Bob Spink, MP for Castle Point, officially opened the new ticket office at Benfleet station as part of the celebrations to mark a number of improvements to the facilities offered to customers.

In a £350k programme the old ticket office, built in the 1960s, has been completely refitted, with 4 new ticket windows, one of which is fully compliant with the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act). It is now a much more pleasant and welcoming environment for customers and our staff.

The station has been re-painted, with new signs and additional modern seats. Also, the toilets have been given a face lift.

A number of customers using Benfleet station cycle over from Canvey Island, and there has been some concern about cycle security at the station. c2c has now installed CCTV to cover the cycle parking area on their leased area.

Also at the ceremony an eagerly awaited announcement was made when the MP was able to tell guests that work was about to start on the disabled access to and from the eastbound platform. Permission has been given for a tiny part of the public highway to be decommissioned and acquired by Network Rail, so a ramped access to the platform can be installed. Work will start in early June and be completed in July.

Managing Director Mark Hopwood said, This an important day for Benfleet, used by an average of 5000 customers each weekday, and where our team in the ticket office do an excellent job looking after commuters and leisure travellers alike. The programme of improvements underlines our commitment to c2c, with Benfleet the latest but by no means the last to benefit.

Investment, determination and attention to detail has made c2c the route with the best annual punctuality in the country. An average of 94.1% of our trains reached or exceeded their punctuality target for the 12 months ending 28 April. Now that we have a good train service customers are expecting higher standards of environment. Our benchmark is not just other train companies but the best of high street retailers and service providers and it is this overall increase in quality that we are determined to deliver as well as remaining the most punctual train service in the country.

I am grateful to Dr Bob Spink who, as MP for Castle Point, has taken time out to join us today and mark the occasion which has brought improvements on a number of fronts to the many customers from Benfleet and Canvey Island who use the station every day .

Dr Spink welcomed the new arrangements at Benfleet, saying, The event here today underlines c2c's commitment to its customers. As a company they are prepared to listen and to act, the installation of CCTV cameras to provide security for the cycle park being a case in point. I have kept an eye on developments here at Benfleet over the years and I am very impressed with the station as a whole and in particular the ticket office. I know also that I share the delight of all users of the station at the news that work is to start shortly on the provision of disabled access to the eastbound platform. Benfleet station is a vital asset to my constituents who now have a station they can be especially proud of.