How £80,000 Potters Bar railway station compensation could be spent
Potters Bar station. Picture: Google. - Credit: Archant
Potters Bar politicians have been putting forward suggestions about how money to improve the railway station could be spent.
Due to timetable disruptions last year, £80,000 worth of compensation has been awarded to be spent on station improvements.
Hertsmere borough councillor Christian Gray suggested, at a meeting last Wednesday, for suicide prevention barriers to be fitted as has been done "at other stations within Hertsmere and neighbouring districts".
Cllr Gray - who represents Potters Bar Furzefield ward - added that him and his fellow Labour ward councillor, Chris Myers, also "raised the idea of a free water bottle refill point".
The two Labour councillors additional ideas included 24/7 - or until after the pubs close - toilet facilities, replacing trees cut down and a front entrance that is open longer.
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Cllr Abhishek Sachdev - who represents Potters Bar Parkfield for the Conservatives - did not attend the meeting, but has also been advocating for suicide prevention barriers and a water refill point, along with improved disability access at the station.
"I've also been working with our MP Oliver Dowden to keep pushing for the Oyster card extension for Potters Bar," said Cllr Sachdev.
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Mr Dowden confirmed in early June that Oyster would be coming to Potters Bar this summer, with "an exact date following imminently".
"I'm aware there's been justified scepticism about when the system will actually be in place, and we have had bitterly disappointing setbacks in the past when previous deadlines were missed," he said.
"However, after I secured the firm commitment in December that the system would be operational by the end of 2019, the end is finally in sight.
"I will not let up the pressure though and will continue to press transport officials to make sure the delays we have endured for too long do not happen again."
Conservative councillor Paul Hodgson-Jones said he is hoping for a better way to display information on train delays.
"Perhaps a screen linked to the live information on the website so that people can see how far away trains are and that they have actually started their journey," said Cllr Hodgson-Jones, who also represents Potters Bar Parkfield.
To suggest your own ideas on how the money should be spent, visit passengerbenefitfund.co.uk.
