TRANSPORT FOR BUCKINGHAMSHIRE WORKS TO IMPROVE MARLOW TO MAIDENHEAD RAILWAY LINE
Improvements to the Marlow to Maidenhead railway line are planned thanks to action by a working group including Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB), Marlow Town Council, other local partners, and the train operator.
A grant of £6,100 from Buckinghamshire County Council's Marlow Local Area Forum will help pay for a new platform passenger shelter and better cycle parking at Marlow station, while train operator First Great Western and Marlow Town Council will fund any difference in costs. The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead will pay for new cycle parking at Cookham station.
The improvements, costing around £10,000, should be ready by March.
Last September, Marlow to Maidenhead Passenger Association met with the train operator and local stakeholders to discuss these improvements. Marlow Town Council was already involved in environmental and security improvements at Marlow station using its own staff and ‘community pay back’ labour, and it was felt this could be built upon to further encourage people to use the line.
Closed circuit television at the unmanned Marlow station is now being investigated, and the group is considering approaching local businesses for support and to raise awareness of the line. Work to improve the look of the station will also be undertaken: tree pruning will improve visibility, track maintenance, landscape upkeep and general tidying will ensure it looks its best.
The line, running through Wycombe District and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, has stations at Bourne End, Cookham and Furze Platt. It performs an important role in the local transport network and economy, but up until now has not been realising its full potential.
Richard Ward, Senior Transport Policy Officer at TfB, said the Marlow to Maidenhead line partnership working group had made an encouraging start. 'This is a springboard to explore developing new initiatives, and is a good example of how county, district, town and parish councils, and other local groups can work with the rail industry to secure better train services for the local community.'
Valerie Letheren, Buckinghamshire County Council Cabinet Member for Transport, said: 'It's so encouraging to see the improvements made to this line by groups embracing the Big Society and working together for the greater good of the community. I am confident that as the stations are made safer and more attractive, more people will be inclined to use them, reducing congestion on the roads. I hope that these groups will be able to continue to put their good ideas into action, making a more pleasant journey for rail users.'
Andrew Dickinson, Local Area Station Manager, said: 'First Great Western and Network Rail have been working hard to deliver improvements on the Maidenhead to Marlow route over the last year. This has seen significant investment in the station help points as well as a new customer information system, which is starting to be rolled out in 2011. We are also spending £8 million to refurbish our fleet of diesel trains that operate over the route. This is helping to deliver a better customer environment with better provision of information and improvements to passenger security on trains and at stations. We are delighted to be part of this working group and look forward to working together to deliver further improvements to this branch line.'