#StationsDay celebrates landmark investment in Kent’s railway stations

Notes to editors

Notes to Editors:

• The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) brings together the companies that run Britain’s railway into a single team with one goal - to deliver a better railway for you and your community.
• £5.2bn will be invested in stations across the UK as part of the rail industry’s long term plan to change and improve which can be read here.
• There are over 2,500 stations in the UK
• The top 20 stations each have over 60,000 entries and exits each day
• Busiest station is London Waterloo with over 250,000 entries and exits each day
• Over 150 stations have more than 10,000 entries and exits each day
• Over 85% of the population live within five kilometres of a railway station
• Recent research by the Rail Industry Association (RIA) recent study ’Value of Rail’ (Feb 2018) also showcased that station retailers and caters sold £2.3 billion of goods and services in 2016 and is associated with 27,600 jobs.
• £36m has been invested in station improvement projects across the country as part of the National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP) over the last two years.
• It has been estimated that the value of the railways to our economy is £10.4 billion a year with stations being essential to realising this value.

Figures from the Steer Davies Gleave/RDG report

Local statistics

• In Snodland in Kent, National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP) rail improvements have meant that passenger numbers have increased by around 30%, as it helped to improve the connectivity between the town centre and station.
• In Twickenham, the NSIP upgrades that took place for the Rugby World Cup helped to improve visitors world cup experience and has resulted in its daily 6 million passengers awarded the station a 21% increase in satisfaction.
• Bognor Regis’ refurbishment has allowed the station to act as a catalyst for the revitalisation of the town with a creative digital hub with ultra-fast internet connect for start-up businesses located in part of the station
• South Western Railway has announced plans to invest £90 to enhance station facilities including 1,500 extra car parking spaces and 280 new benches.
• Chelmsford’s regeneration has improved customers satisfaction with the quality of shops, eating and drinking facilitates, allowing the station to feel more welcoming to visitors reflect the councils plan to transform the station inline with its ambitions for the city.
• Newcark Castle’s refurbishments meant it saw 750,000 users in 2016/17, a 31% increase on previous years and by working with the Railway Heritage Trust, the station received the Railway Heritage Operational Enhancement Award in recognition of the sensitive transformation achieved.
• Lincoln’s refurbishment saw a new cycle hub introduced which is supporting the city’s ambitions to encourage cycling and a more healthy lifestyle
• Harrogate’s upgrade as provided significant improvements to the feeling of safety and security at the station through much improved lighting and modern CCTV and Customer Information Screens.
• Ainsdale’s refurbishment received input from local people to ensure it meet their needs and as a result saw the station maintain its eco-friendly status having LED lighting, energy usage board, metered rainwater harvesting and solar panels installed.
• Colwyn Bay in Wales redevelopment has ensured the station is accessible to everyone by introducing step-free access. Research for the Department for Transport by Steer Davies Gleave with WSP on the value of step free access provided evidence on the wider benefits of investment inaccessibility in economic terms, the Benefit Cost Ration could be as high as 11.3.