Throughout my first term as Winchester MP I have tried to organise interesting (and hopefully useful) public meetings from time to time.
‘ASKSWT’, held last year, was a chance for local train users to put their questions directly to the top team at South West Trains.
Issues raised about the railway station in Winchester included disabled access to both platforms as well as a chronic lack of parking spaces and we’ve been able to answer both those points through the opening this month of the footbridge - with its lift access - plus the new decked car park which has brought a 25% increase in parking capacity.
One of the other main issues raised was around late night safety at the station which is currently unstaffed after 9pm each day. Both ticket offices are subsequently closed at that time forcing travellers arriving back on the late London trains for-instance, to exit via a poorly lit side gate on Platform 2.
I am really pleased to say solid progress is now also being made in this area. I have been working with South West Trains, as well as council officers and the new Cabinet Member for Transport at Winchester, Cllr Mike Southgate, to secure improvements.
SWT continue to work really hard on this and are progressing with plans to increase the opening hours at Winchester, including a trial over the next fortnight to open the booking hall on Platform 2 on Sunday - Thursday nights to provide an alternative exit from the station.
Linked to all of this is the exit from the new car park out onto Andover Road. In the Winter especially, it brings pedestrians and cyclists together with cars and is an accident waiting to happen.
The good news is, while there are still some land ownership issues to overcome there is now a plan to make improvements and we just need to put the final bit of funding in place to get on with the work. I am picking this up with the new Rail Minister at Department for Transport who have always been very supportive of Winchester and its busy station serving, as it does, over 4.5 million passengers each year. We’ve just spent the past year working together at the DWP so that’s handy.
Last week the Hampshire Chronicle said our station is now ‘fit for the future’ and I think that is right but I am not blind to the capacity issues my constituents face every day. The other part of my work with the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance is in Westminster on the bigger picture, in liaison with Ministers and the powerful Local Enterprise Partnerships, to make the major infrastructure changes necessary – on the route into Waterloo for-instance – to increase capacity down the line into the Home Counties.
Indeed when Parliament returns in September one of my first tasks will be hosting a major event for SWT/the Alliance with MPs from across the region to carry on pressing our case within Government. As someone sensible used to say, we’re getting there.
You can find out more about my work and get in touch via 01962 791110 or www.stevebrine.com
