​Hassocks station shortlisted for national award

Southern’s Hassocks station has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Station Excellence category for the forthcoming prestigious national Rail Business Awards. These awards recognise a range of passenger improvement programmes undertaken by the rail industry.

Over recent years Hassocks station has been transformed, with a brand new building, which is modern but blends into the local area.

Since the new station was built, the addition of lifts has made the the station fully accessible to passengers, providing step free access between platforms. And the addition of cycle hub has both increased spaces for cycle parking and includes a community-run bike hire and repair shop. The local community group used to work out of a wooden hut, but the brand new station facility offers the hire of bicycles alongside a repair and servicing facility. Through their website, passengers can pre-book their cycles and access a variety of cycle routes for the local area.

The station partnership has also provided beautiful flower displays over the years, wowing passengers with bright colours, and have recently designed an dplanted a wildflower garden.

Station Manager Rebecca Atherton said: “I am so pleased that the station has been shortlisted for this award. The local team works hard to give a great service to our passengers, while the work undertaken at the station itself has really helped it reflect the needs of the local community. I am very proud of the hard work of everyone involved.”

Catherine Cassidy, from the Hassocks Amenity Association Rail Group, said: "It is wonderful to hear that Hassocks station has been shortlisted for the Station Excellence award. The much needed new station and lifts were built after many years of campaigning by the Hassocks Rail Group, a voluntary group of people drawn from the local community, and subsequently the Rail Group working closely with Network Rail and Southern. It has made a great difference to our community and we feel immensely proud and grateful that we now have a station fit for the future to meet the needs of all."

Winners of the awards will be announced on 23 February 2017.