Media centre

Thursday 24 Nov 2005

NEW PITSEA STATION BUILDING UNVEILED BY RAIL MINISTER

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

The brand new £1 million train station building at Pitsea was unveiled today by Rail Minister Derek Twigg, in association with Network Rail and c2c.  The state-of-the-art station building has been completely rebuilt with additional customer facilities including new train information screens, automatic ticket gates and coffee shop.  The inclusion of induction hearing loops, low level ticket windows, information in Braille and disabled toilets means the station is also more accessible for disabled passengers. Derek Twigg, Rail Minister, said: “We are currently spending £87m a week on the railways and I'm pleased to see how this money is being invested.  Hard work and investment from c2c and Network Rail has given passengers a more attractive and accessible station.  Along with the highly commendable punctuality record on this route, developments like this show why record numbers of people are using the railway." In addition to the main work which was jointly funded by c2c and Network Rail, Essex County Council has provided new cycle racks at the station.  Network Rail also has an ongoing programme of improvement work at Pitsea, which includes refurbishing the old signal box, enhancing the platform lighting and renewing the footbridge between platforms 1 and 2. Jon Wiseman, Network Rail Route Director, said: “We are delighted that passengers are now able to benefit from the ‘new improved’ Pitsea station building and facilities.  Stations are the gateway to travel by rail and form a vital part of the journey experience.  Working closely with c2c, we have provided a comfortable and modern station that passengers rightly expect.” The project to rebuild Pitsea station was announced in February this year, marking the start of an intensive programme of work to deliver a new building on the site of the former booking office in just eight months.  The modern and easily accessible facilities added by c2c reflect their image of quality and modernity and the station has also been painted in c2c colours.  C2c Managing Director, Andrew Chivers, said, ”This is an important day for the people of Pitsea.  Particularly busy as a commuter station, many leisure travellers also start their journey here and I know that for a long time facilities here have been rather primitive.  But what a station we have here now!  I like to think that Network Rail and c2c have rewarded our customers for their patience with a station building that they can be proud of and which is not only fit for the twenty-first century but also consistent with c2c’s position, as the best performing Train Operating Company in the country, with average peak punctuality of 96% and average all day punctuality of 93%.  “What has been achieved here at Pitsea could not have happened without the full and enthusiastic participation of our colleagues in Network Rail, and we are very pleased to be able to offer the users of the station the most modern facilities on the route.    “I am also delighted that the Rail Minister has been able to join us today to open officially the new facility and to see for himself the work c2c, in conjunction with Network Rail and local authorities, has been doing along the route.”