Southern station enjoys extensive facelift

Mitcham Junction is one of the first Govia Thameslink Railway stations to enjoy a facelift thanks to the Passenger Benefit Fund.

Contractors were on site last month to undertake much-needed upgrade work, repainting walls, bollards, lamp posts and the cycle shelter, using the local funding pot to fulfil work suggested by customers and stakeholders in a public consultation.

The interior of the booking hall has also been refreshed with new paintwork, and new benches are set to be installed on the platform in the coming weeks.

Project Manager Max Kenna said: "I'm very pleased with the uplift - the view walking down to the station is really improved and it's now much more welcoming to customers.

"It's good to have the programme underway and to see the changes happening and stations being improved. We have enabled passengers to choose the work that they really want and this is just one of many projects to come."

Contractors have also been working at Emsworth, Chichester and Barnham, with the rollout of an additional 200 defibrillators across the network currently underway.

The Passenger Benefit fund is a £15m pot being spent across the network to improve facilities and station environments for customers.There are other schemes in progress, which include new toilets, artwork and improvements to access.

Work continues with a range of local authorities and rail user groups towards fulfilling their local suggestions, and project managers are planning site visits at a number of stations in the coming weeks, including Flitwick, West Norwood, Ravensbourne, Shortland, Stevenage, Arlesey, and Elstree and Borehamwood.