Waiting rooms at ten South Western Railway (SWR) stations are being revamped with new and improved features, including enhanced facilities for community use.
Waiting rooms at Basingstoke, Brockenhurst, Brookwood, Byfleet & New Haw, Earley, Farnham, Horsley, Southampton Central, Sunningdale, and Totton stations will see more than £400,000 invested to provide customers with better places to relax and work while they wait for their trains.
Customers will be able to work remotely more easily and be more productive while on the move, as SWR responds to changing working patterns since the pandemic, with more people working remotely.
As important assets for the local communities that they serve, SWR will also add new noticeboards in some of the waiting rooms for local people to use, creating an additional shared resource for organisations such as community rail partnerships and station adoption groups.
Peter Williams, customer and commercial director for SWR, said: “SWR is committed to providing a modern, sustainable, and accessible railway for all our customers, helping them to make the most of their time, wherever they are on our network.
“That’s why we are delighted to be making these significant investments as part of our ongoing effort to enhance the customer experience at our stations.”
Over the coming months, SWR will add new features including modern workstations with plug and USB sockets and wireless phone chargers. The waiting rooms’ appearances will also be refreshed with new decorations on walls and ceilings, along with new flooring, seating, and improved heating.
In line with SWR’s sustainability strategy, stations will be made greener and more accessible, with new environmentally friendly LED lighting, and more priority seating space and lower-level workstations for customers who use wheelchairs.
John Wingham, Hon. Secretary of The Friends of Brockenhurst Station and parish councillor, said: “We are delighted with the refurbishment which has also upgraded the room with standing workstations for business passengers and provided a relaxing calm area for those who find travelling somewhat stressful.
“Investments of this kind make rail journeys more attractive and boost the value of the railway to the community.”
