New Canopy for Wickham Market Station

1 September, 2015

Passengers who use Wickham Market railway station will soon benefit from a brand new canopy.

The East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership (ESLCRP) has been successful in securing a £25,000 grant to help restore the canopy at the Abellio Greater Anglia station located in village of Campsea Ashe. The canopy was removed in the 1970s and a small shelter put in its place. The grant will go toward restoring the platform canopy to the way it looked when it was owned by the historic Great Eastern Railway.

The ESLCRP was awarded the money by the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) who administer a designated fund on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Aaron Taffera, Chairman of the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership, said: “We’re very happy that the East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership is able to provide this grant to help restore the canopy at Wickham Market Station. As a Designated Community Rail Service the East Suffolk Line is able to benefit from funding that helps make improvements to the stations, facilities, and service. Passengers will see real benefits from this scheme and the continuing work of the CRP.”

Brian Barnsley, Operations Manager ACoRP, said: “The Association of Community Rail Partnerships and the partners of the Designated Community Rail Development Fund are delighted to support the re-instatement of the station canopy at Wickham Market station with a grant from the fund. We look forward to seeing the work progress over the coming months and indeed the full restoration of the Station House.”Leader of Suffolk Coastal District Council Ray Herring, The East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership Chairman Aaron Taffera, and Abellio Greater Anglia stakeholder manager Paul Oxley present the members of Station House Community Connections, Bob Webb, Rosamund Web, Jenny Labbett, Oliver Webb, and Jarin Alam with a £25,000 cheque to restore the canopy at Wickham Market railway station.

Station House Community Connections is a not-for-profit group restoring the now vacant station for community use who will use the grant to begin the process of building the new canopy which will also see the commissioning of three spandrels as supports.

Robert Webb, Chairman of Station House Community Connections, said: “The funding via the Community Rail Partnership will contribute to the building of the renewed canopy at the Station House and is a fantastic boost to our objective of bringing the building back into use as a community facility. It will provide practical benefits to station users and renew the identity and sense of place to this new and exciting community resource.”

 

The East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership works with the train operator Abellio Greater Anglia to continually make improvements along the line. The CRP is funded by Abellio Greater Anglia, Suffolk County Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Waveney District Council, and Suffolk Coastal District Council.

INDUSTRIAL ACTION is taking taking place in early May. Mon 6/5, and Wed 7/5 though Sat 11/5 most services will run but there will be some cancellations. On Tuesday 7/5 there will be a full strike; NO services on the East Suffolk Lines or the other local/regional routes will operate that day. Mainline services to/from London will be reduced.
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