A way to go!.... on the right track to success

So I hear that Transpennine Express has been carrying out further improvements at Barrow Station?- I wondered why they had them big grey metal gates up! It is surely great news for train travellers who use the station regularly to get from A to B. Barrow Station may not be as big as the likes of Lancaster or Preston stations, but it surely does make it up for it! The station recently won an award for safety thanks to the recent addition of CCTV and Help Points that has made the station one of the safest in the country.

Barrow Railway Station has undergone many improvements over the years including new waiting areas, a new lift to platforms 2 and 3, A buffet/shop and upgrades to facilities including revamped toilets and the introduction of secure Bicycle storage. In March, the station is due to receive further improvements such as three new ticket points and a new customer information desk and improvements to the seating and layout in the main waiting/ticket hall area.

Since TransPennine Express's takeover of the franchise in 2004, it has invested a whopping £1.5 million pounds in improving the station and making it one of the most pleasant and safest stations on the network. Speaking in the mail this week, Barrow Station manager Mick Elliot said “The current works at the station are really the icing on the cake. First TransPennine Express have invested nearly £1.5m in Barrow since our franchise began and, when the works are completed in March, customers will really experience the benefit...The station will have been completely refurbished and customers will now have more ticket buying facilities, greater access and excellent waiting areas.''

I have to say I am inclined to agree. Having visited this station on numerous occasions, all I can say is that I am impressed with the station as it is bright, clean and welcoming and feels really safe. The staff there are really helpful and have always helped point me in the right direction when I have asked which platform I should be on to board the train. The latest improvements are a welcome sign and should really improve travelers experiences and with new ticket windows and customer information it will surely make the whole experience a better one for all!

I think that it is money well spent and will make me and other passengers want to use the station again. All we need now is lower prices at the station shop (some of the prices are more expensive than on the high street) and for the government and train companies to put further investment into the railways and to in turn, bring down the costs of traveling on the rail network.

TransPennine Express is really on track to be one of the best train operators in the Northwest and with improvements to stations such as Barrow it really should set a precedent for other train companies.

Also I must mention the Borough Councils railway gateway projects that have vastly improved the approaches to the stations with the Mardale Grove Allotments and The Green Heart Den projects already providing a much needed visual boost to the area. I am also happy to see the demolition of Salthouse Mills as visitors now get a better first impression of the town.