Published on: Thursday, 18 June 2015
Last updated: Wednesday, 5 October 2016
Rayleigh rail station is set to benefitfrom some extra care and attention as Rayleigh town councillors have become stationadopters.
The Town Council and volunteers will act asthe eyes and ears at the station, reporting any issues to Abellio GreaterAnglia and will also come up with ideas for projects that will improve thestation for the local community.
They have already created some attractivehanging baskets and tubs that are creating a bright welcome for station users.
Abellio Greater Anglia’s Area CustomerService Manager, Bill Sier, said, “I’d like to welcome Rayleigh towncouncillors to the role of station adopters. They have already made an impactwith their lovely floral displays and I look forward to working with them andhearing their ideas.”
Rayleigh station becomes the first railwaystation on the Southend Victoria – London line to be adopted by the localcommunity.
The ‘Adopt a Station’ scheme started in2003 and enables individuals or groups to adopt their local railway station andcontribute to its presentation and welfare for the benefit of the localcommunity.
The voluntary scheme was originally createdto improve lines of communication between the train operator and station usershowever, over the years it has grown to become much more, with station adoptersnow playing an active role in keeping stations looking good through inventivegardening projects, creative community art projects, taking part in station‘health checks’ or being the eyes and ears of their station.
Over the years, station adopters have alsoplayed a key role in raising money for new initiatives, such as improvedwaiting facilities or planting beautiful station gardens.
Abellio Greater Anglia now has over 183adopters at over 90 stations across Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire andCambridgeshire.