News

MAKEOVER FOR BAMBER BRIDGE STATION

6th December 2007

Northern Rail, East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership and South Ribble Pensioners Association are working together to bring the empty 1846 station building at Bamber Bridge Station – one of the last remaining original structures on the line – back to life.

The station building will be restored to its former glory externally and sympathetically converted internally for modern day use, thanks to a £60,00 grant from the Railway Heritage Trust. The South Ribble Pensioners Association will use the building as a base for future activities once the renovation is complete.

The £305,000 refurbishment will also include work on the station platforms providing new shelters, seats and signage together with improvements to the station environment and landscaped areas. CCTV will also be installed to improve security.

Steve Butcher, Area Director, Northern Rail said: “Northern Rail is working closely with East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership and South Ribble Pensioners Association to improve the environment for passengers arriving at Bamber Bridge Station. The modernisation of the historic station building has been carefully designed to reflect its heritage and surroundings.”

Richard Watts, Partnership Secretary, East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership added: "This is an exciting project involving the restoration of the original 1846 station building for community use and the upgrading of the passenger facilities at the station. We have worked with South Ribble Borough Council and the South Ribble Pensioners Association (SRPA) on this project and we are delighted that the SRPA will be using the station as its future base for an exciting range of activities. The East Lancashire CRP will look to see if this model can be applied at other locations in East Lancashire in particular in Burnley and Accrington."

County Councillor Tony Martin, Lancashire County Council Cabinet Member for Sustainable Development said: "I am delighted the County Council has been able to support this station project. The station will be improved for the benefit of passengers and at the same time new life will be breathed into the former station building. I am delighted that the Railway Heritage Trust has supported this project with a grant of £60,000 towards the refurbishment of the station building. The County Council will monitor usage from the station but we expect to see even more people using it once the works have been completed."

Work will start on Monday 10 December, however the station will remain open to customers during the refurbishment, which is scheduled to finish in Spring 2008.