ONGOING improvements to Christchurch railway station have been given the green light by borough councillors.

Facilities and access to the railway have all been cited as key areas for development, with visitors to the town presented with little or no information about local attractions or how to get to them.

Pedestrian access is also highlighted as poor and undefined with no easy crossing point in either Stour Road or Station Road as well as a lack of logical route to the town centre or local amenities.

According to a report presented by Bob Baker, highways and transportation manager at Christchurch Borough Council the current access arrangements present problems for people with mobility issues or those who are visually impaired.

Mr Baker said the existing facilities would not meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, with access to the London bound side of the platform virtually impossible for the visually impaired as there is no defined safe route along the drive.

In light of these problems, a project partnership team, including South West Trains, the Friends of Christchurch Station, Dorset County Council and Christchurch Borough Council, was set up to find a solution to the issues and encourage locals to use rail transport.

The partnership wants to see the installation of real time information systems to bus shelters, improved CCTV to provide better passenger security, new destination signage and a new pedestrian crossing point in Stour Road with a central refuge.

Around £100,000 will come from the Dorset County Council Local Transport Plan budget with an extra £20,000 being given from South West Trains for work undertaken on railway owned land.

The Friends of Christchurch Railway Station have been working tirelessly for more than a year to improve the station and raise awareness among the local community.