Rail Minister celebrates new look

Transport Minister Derek Twigg yesterday (6 September) joined local rail operator c2c, Thurrock Council and guests to celebrate the recent completion of a £1 million programme to improve the environment at busy Chafford Hundred station.

The station, opened in 1995 to serve the housing development and shopping centre at Lakeside, has proved very popular with commuters and leisure travellers to the extent that the original design, with a small booking hall and limited circulating area - especially after the installation of automatic gates - was no longer suitable for the growing number of customers using the station. c2c has therefore increased the covered circulating area on the platform side of the ticket gates, the number of which has been increased by six, provided additional sheltered waiting accommodation, installed a CIS screen along the platform and improved accessibility.

Thurrock Council, meanwhile, complemented the station work by redesigning and landscaping the forecourt in front of the station. This initiative has given defined areas for bus stopping points, customer and taxi drop-off/pick up and a passenger walking route. The pavement has been raised level with the floor of buses to comply with the DDA, and the cycle storage has been relocated nearer the station entrance.

Rail Minister Derek Twigg, who unveiled a plaque to mark the completion of the work , said:

Travelling by train is becoming more popular and I welcome the improvements carried out by c2c and Thurrock council which will help to meet passengers' expectations.

"c2c has consistently delivered high levels of punctuality and together with the completion of the work to the station, passengers can now look forward to a more reliable service and pleasant surrounding.

c2c Managing Director Mark Hopwood is also pleased with the result.

This the second time in little over a year that we have joined with Thurrock Council in a partnership to improve the environment at stations in their area. Building on the success at Grays, we have used our experience and expertise to adapt the station building and waiting areas and its accessibility to meet the demands of the growing number of users of a service that is consistently at or near the top of the league in terms of punctuality.

I am, at the same time, very grateful to Thurrock Council who have used their expertise to landscape the forecourt, giving the approach to the station a much brighter and more welcoming feel. The combination of our efforts has really made a difference here at Chafford Hundred and underlines the importance both c2c, as the local rail operator, and Thurrock Council attach to making public transport more attractive.

Endorsing Mark Hopwood's sentiments Cllr Leo Milan-Vega, Thurrock's Cabinet member for Transport, said: "Improving the environment for rail travellers in Thurrock is essential for achieving our aims of increased accessibility and reduced congestion.

"Between 2002 and 2005 the number of people using the trains in Thurrock rose by more than ten per cent, highlighting the fact that access to rail services is a vital part of creating sustainable communities within the borough.

"I look forward to continuing to work in partnership with c2c to deliver a better transport network for Thurrock's residents."