Commuters ready to pay for better station (From Warrington Guardian)

Commuters ready to pay for better station

RAIL COMMUTERS seem prepared to bite the bullet of paying twice for improvements to Central Station.

The borough council is giving First Group £200,000 to do the station up - money that partly comes from council tax.

However, privatised rail companies like First Group were expected to pay for improvements themselves.

Commuters accepted subsidising the improvements was a necessary evil.

Karen Rosterne, from Cambrai Avenue, in Latchford, said the station needed improving because: "If you travel by train you judge a place by its station. And Warrington does not sell itself well by its stations."

The 47-year-old business accounts manager for BT added: "I don't think the majority of the money should come from the local council, there's far more essential services they need to provide."

Jo White, a 42-year-old Ikea worker, from Nansen Close, in Old Hall, said: "It does definitely need doing up, but It is a bit unfair that the tax payer should pay for improvement work to be done.

"It should be half and half."

That idea was echoed by Chris Burns, aged 21, a law student, from Raleigh Close, in Westbrook - especially as he said a better station is needed to complement the town centre regeneration.

But Emma Hallworth from Callands Avenue, a 17-year-old telesales employee, said: "The private companies should get into gear and pay for it themselves.

"If we have to pay for it we should at least get a say in what gets done."