Maidenhead & Windsor

Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Council Borough councillors have praised Network Rail and First Great Western (FGW) for cleaning up their act at Maidenhead railway station – and warned that they will hold the rail companies to account if further promised remedial work is not carried out.

Cllr Colin Rayner, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead Council highways, transport and environment, said at council last night (Tuesday) that he would be meeting Network Rail and FGW representatives before Christmas to ensure work continues on improving the station environment and removing graffiti from railway bridges.

Cllrs Rayner, Simon Dudley and Paul Etherington and Windsor and Maidenhead Council council officers met with representatives earlier this month to discuss concerns such as litter, graffiti, poor wheelchair access, lighting, bike storage capacity, ticketing capacity, layout, integration with bus services and lack of car parking facilities. The rail companies advised of their proposals to spend £750,000 on refurbishment.

Cllr Dudley, who submitted a motion to council 'deploring the sorry state' of Maidenhead station, said improvements, particularly cleanliness, had been noticed since that meeting.

Cllr Dudley's motion, which was agreed by Windsor and Maidenhead Council council, said: "This council deplores the sorry state of Maidenhead railway station and the surrounding bridges and commends the campaigning from the Maidenhead MP Theresa May for improvements and calls upon Network Rail and First Great Western to further engage constructively with the council with all haste, to agree a set of remedial works to enhance the station and its infrastructure for the benefit of residents of Maidenhead and users of the station."

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead