Winchester MP Steve Brine says further positive progress is being made to address issues around late night safety at the city's railway station.
The MP has been working with South West Trains, as well as both city and county councillors, to address various issues raised at a special ASKSWT public meeting he organised last year. As reported in the Hampshire Chronicle at the time, the event saw SWT Managing Director, Tim Shoveller, and other senior managers from the company take questions from regular users of the station.
Mr Brine says; "Concerns were raised around 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 20% increase in parking online."
However, it was concerns around safety, especially for passengers arriving back into Winchester late at night, which also needed addressing. Winchester Station is currently unstaffed after 9pm each day and both ticket offices are subsequently closed forcing travellers to exit via a poorly lit side gate on Platform 2.
The MP adds; "South West Trains are working really hard on all of this and are still progressing with plans to increase the opening hours at Winchester. Part of that I am pleased to say is 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."
Mr Brine said he had also been working with new Transport Portfolio Holder at Winchester City Council, Cllr Mike Southgate, to make improvements to the access route from the car park out onto Andover Road.
Cllr Southgate added; "We've got some land ownership issues to overcome but council officers and Hunts Foods are now working well and we just need to put the final bit of funding in place to get on with the work. I know Steve Brine is picking this up with the Minister for us also which is helpful. We are also talking to South West Trains about the best way to monitor the new car park and surrounding area via the CCTV system currently viewed by a team at Waterloo. There may be a way the city can help with that locally to improve response should an incident occur."
Pictured; Steve Brine MP on-site with South West Trains Commercial Director, Samantha McCarthy and Andrew Wilson from the Passenger Transport Group at Hampshire County Council
