The entrance forecourt to Watford Junction station is being up enhanced thanks to a scheme by Watford Borough Council.
The changes include the installation of freestanding letters which spell out WATFORD which are design to encourage social media use.
In addition, the forecourt will have more open space, plants, paving, lighting, seating and the start of a new heritage trail.
At the front of the station will be a new bike-share bay as part of the ‘Beryl' scheme which already has 70 bays in Watford. Parking for bikes has been moved to a secure 300 capacity facility nearby.
Sarah Higgins, head of stations for London Northwestern Railway, said:
“Watford Junction is one of our busiest and most popular stations and I am delighted that this project will enhance the approach to the stations for the millions of passengers we cater for every year.”
Peter Taylor, elected Mayor of Watford, said:
“Eight million people a year travel through Watford Junction and I am really excited to kickstart these works to bring our station into the 21st Century. This will make the station forecourt a more welcoming and interesting place and will be a much better first impression for people coming to our town.”
Tina Barnard, from the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said:
“We are delighted to help kickstart the transformation of Watford Junction station, which will provide the modern facilities needed to support a long term modal shift towards public transport.”
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Why not reopen the former terminus platforms at Watford Junction so that London Overground can boost their Euston-Watford Junction DC service since the Class 710/2 Aventras have entered service and some of the Class 378s have been transferred to work on the East London Line services. And to reuse platform 10 for Southern to operate the Watford Junction-East Croydon service and to expand to Gatwick Airport, Brighton, Horsham, Eastbourne, Littlehampton and Three Bridges.
And with platform 11 used for the Abbey Flyer shuttle service that is a short platform which only caters a 4-Car Class 319 train working the shuttle service between Watford Junction and St. Albans Abbey. That London Northwestern Railway might retain few Class 319s just for that service.
Since they have ordered the Class 730 Aventra trains that is to replace the Class 350/2 Desiro units but won’t replace the Class 350/1/3 & 350/4 units that the Class 350/4s were used on TransPennine Express. Before they were replaced by the Class 397 Nova 2 Civity.
With platform 10 not being used a lot and is a terminus platform. Does Southern sometimes operate some of their services to East Croydon. Perhaps Southern could start re-introducing the Watford Junction-East Croydon and Watford Junction-Brighton, Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Redhill, Reigate, Tattenham Corner, Caterham and Epsom Downs.
With using the Class 377/2 & Class 377/7 Dual Voltage Electrostars. And from Milton Keynes Central to Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, Redhill and Brighton.