Photo: © Copyright Nigel Thompson and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Seeking station 'friends' in Exeter

Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership and First Great Western are working together to improve Exeter St Thomas station and are looking for local residents to join in this improvement drive.

The Friends of Exeter St Thomas Station will help plan murals for the station platform walls and some greenery on the platforms and get involved in planting and watering.

The first meeting of the new Friends group will be on Tuesday 13 January at the Riverside Christian Centre, 13-14 Okehampton Street, Exeter, EX4 1DU. Coffee and cakes will be available from 4pm, and the meeting will start at 4.30pm.

Anyone who is interested in getting involved is welcome to attend. Local residents will also be able to drop in after work up to 6.30pm for refreshments and to find out more.

The formation of the Friends group is being supported by the EU Citizens’ Rail project, led by the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, which is working to develop the Riviera Line, between Exeter and Paignton, and get more people involved with their railway. The project has already helped to revive the Friends of Dawlish Station and set up a new Friends of Teignmouth Station group.

Celia Minoughan, Riviera Line project officer at the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership, said: “The impact that the volunteers have had at Dawlish station shows what can be achieved. We are looking forward to getting ideas from local residents so we can make a real difference to passengers at Exeter St Thomas.”

First Great Western Station Manager Melanie Harvey “We are committed to supporting the communities we serve. This project is aiming to get the railway, volunteers and local businesses to work together to improve the station environment for all.”

To find out more or get involved, contact Celia on 01752 584777 or at celia@citizensrail.org. More information and photos of other station improvement projects can be found at www.citizensrail.org.

Local partners in Citizens’ Rail – which is 50% funded by the EU’s Interreg IVB programme – include Devon County Council, Torbay Council, First Great Western, Plymouth University and the Devon & Cornwall Rail Partnership.

The Citizens’ Rail project includes more trains between Newton Abbot and Paignton, station improvements and a sustained major marketing campaign.