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Various local authorities—notably Hampshire, Surrey, Dorset and Kingston—have also made substantial contributions, in addition to funding by South West Trains. “Local authorities want their stations to be a good focal point for the area,” says Malcolm, explaining why councils are keen to invest. “If you’ve got a nicely presented station with good facilities, it will encourage more people to take the train, thereby helping local businesses and improving the overall impression of the area.” South West Trains do not own the stations outright; they are leased from Network Rail. “We have to maintain the stations to an agreed standard but we try to go above that standard wherever possible,” says Malcolm. So from major projects, such as the refurbishment of an entire ticket hall, to much smaller jobs, such as repainting lines in the car park or replacing signs, the Station Development team are always looking for areas where improvements can be made. Malcolm is charged with identifying the next station to receive the attentions of the team. In the first instance, this is decided according to the volume of passengers travelling through a station: the higher the numbers, the faster the facilities wear out. Larger stations also offer more opportunities for attracting third-party investment, which can be crucial in deciding whether a scheme gets the go-ahead.
That’s not to say that smaller stations are neglected. “A little thing, such as an extra seat that’s needed on a platform, for example, is just as important as new toilets, because they’re all relative to each individual station. We have to be realistic and have to prioritise, but where we can undertake improvements we will try to get extra money to top up our own funds and thus do an even better job.”
Once a project has been agreed and a specification drawn up, Malcolm passes it over to Ron Fletcher, Project Delivery Manager. He heads a small team responsible for realising the scheme. “We assess the feasibility of a project, design it, obtain tenders and supervise construction in order to deliver it on time and within budget,” says Ron. “We see Station Development and Project Delivery as one unit working closely together—we’re in constant discussion to figure out ways of implementing schemes.”
Once a project has been agreed and a specification drawn up, Malcolm passes it over to Ron Fletcher, Project Delivery Manager. He heads a small team responsible for realising the scheme. “We assess the feasibility of a project, design it, obtain tenders and supervise construction in order to deliver it on time and within budget,” says Ron. “We see Station Development and Project Delivery as one unit working closely together—we’re in constant discussion to figure out ways of implementing schemes.”
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