Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News

‘Too dark, nowhere to park and ticket office is never open’

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Stephi Devons said: “Great station to use daughter lives in Leeds and can get from there to Leeds, and to other places in the country, just needs updating with some of the above, it’s well used so deserves the update.”

Julie Briody said: “Great little train station – but a larger free parking area would be great and would probably make people use the station more frequently rather than parking in Frodsham and catching the train from there.”

Rachel O’Hara and Nicola Toole caught the feel of the bulk of the other comments.

Miss O’Hara said: “Needs more parking spaces as cars park on pavements and block access for pedestrian­s onto car park and into the woods.”

Miss Toole said: “It’s awful, nothing there... if your train is delayed there’s nothing to do but wait around in the cold, wet weather.”

Arriva Trains Wales told the Weekly News it that the ‘safety and security’ passengers is ‘paramount’.

According to the firm’s most recent accounts, filed with Companies House, in October 2017, the firm made post-tax profits of £22.7m in 2016, up from £18.8m the year before.

Runcorn East serves west and eastbound trains heading to Manchester, ● Warrington, Wales.

According to latest Office Of Rail And Road figures the station served an estimated 183,306 passengers in 2016-17, down from approximat­ely 183,930 the year before.

This compares to Runcorn Station on the West Coast Main Line connecting Runcorn with London and Liverpool with 757,838 passengers in 201617.

Councillor­s and Halton Council said improvemen­ts have been made in recent years to the station.

Some residents have received flyers outlining plans to expand the car park.

A council spokesman said the station had scooped a gong at the Cheshire Best Kept Station awards in 2014 Chester and North following a makeover featuring newly-planted areas, a deep clean and additions such as signage and access features, which were installed ahead of a year of First World War commemorat­ive events at the station such as a costumed musical performanc­e portraying a choir of soldiers singing songs such as Goodbye-ee, It’s A Long Way To Tipperary and Here We Are on the platform.

Gareth Thomas, Arriva Trains Wales director, said: “The safety and security of all our customers is paramount to us in Arriva Trains Wales.

“Whenever we become aware of anti-social issues we will work closely with the British Transport Police in order to stamp these out.

“We would encourage anyone who does witness any anti-social behav- iour anywhere on the railway network to contact the British Transport Police via their discreet text number 61016.”

Cllr Stan Hill (transport) said: “There are plans to improve car parking facilities at Runcorn East station.

“Residents in the immediate area have been made aware of the work which includes increasing the number of parking places, increasing disabled bays and installing electric charging.”

Cllr Ron Hignett, Norton South and also urban renewal chief, said: “There have been many improvemen­ts to the station recently and there have been community events held there.”

Sergeant Steve Watson, of Runcorn Local Policing Unit, said there had been no serious incidents in the last three months with only two of any note at all – an intruder alarm in November that turned out to be a false alarm, and then nothing until a male threatenin­g to jump off a railway bridge, resulting in him being taken by ambulance to accident and emergency but he did not jump.

Sgt Watson agreed the station can feel eerie.

He said: “I’d agree the station can feels desolate, and I’d also agree the design does not assist with the overall ambience.”

 ??  ?? Not enough parking spaces was highlighte­d as an issue for some users, with others claiming the station lighting was poor
Not enough parking spaces was highlighte­d as an issue for some users, with others claiming the station lighting was poor
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 ??  ?? Views were mixed from users of Runcorn East railway station to the Weekly News’s request for opinions
Views were mixed from users of Runcorn East railway station to the Weekly News’s request for opinions

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