Govia Thameslink Railway is enhancing passenger experience at seven London stations making use if funding via its Station Improvement and Minor Works programmes and will see improvements such as:

• Cycle parking
• Customer information
• Accessibility enhancements

The projects are set to be completed by March 2024 and will see an overall investment of £1.2 million at the following stations:

Coulsdon-South station:

The station will see a new cycle hub created as part of the project and will feature 38 secure parking spaces for bikes alongside 24 spaces for bikes via a two-tier rack and will feature LED lighting. The station will also see a secure entry system and CCTV installation.

Purley station: 

The project will see the station’s platform 3 get a further waiting shelter which will support passengers travelling in all weathers wishing to wait further down the platform from the entry gates.

Streatham Hill station: 

Following feedback from customers, the station will get a new customer information screen on its concourse as part of the project. At present, passengers using the station have to go through the station’s gates in order to find departure times and this latest screen will support passengers purchasing tickets to check for delays prior to buying.

Balham station: 

The busy interchange will see two new toilets, which will see the huge demand for the station’s single toilet eased a great deal. The new accessible facility will also support disabled passengers alongside requiring less maintenance.

Finsbury Park station: 

The station will get its very first accessible toilet, which will support the Access for All lift on platforms 7 and 8 which offer step-free access from the street. Further to this, the station will see its ageing PA system, which has insufficient sound quality, get a full upgrade including the following brand-new equipment:

• Speakers
• Microphones
• Control equipment
• Cabling

Hatfield Rail User Group and Hadley Wood Rail User Group have welcomed the upgrades set to take place at Finsbury Park Station, whose members use the station for services to Moorgate, King’s Cross and St. Pancras services with the London Underground.

Catford station:

The station will see the removal of old benches in order to create more space for those using wheelchairs. The benches will be replaced by slimmer ‘perch’ seating in order to create more space on the platform.

Denmark Hill station:

Work at Denmark Hill has already been completed, and has seen a well-equipped cycle hub created which features a cycle repair point which features spanners, screwdrivers, air pump in order for cyclists to repair their bikes whilst out and about. The bike repair point was a suggestion by SE5 Forum, a local community group.

Jenny Saunders, GTR Customer Service Director said:

“More places to sit or to get out of the rain, a nearby available toilet, and easy access to clear, up-to-date information about your train – these are small wins, but when thousands of our passengers are winning every day, all these individual improvements add up to make travelling with us a much better experience.”