Arriva Trains Wales | CLIFF SWAPS TAX RETURNS FOR CHEAP DAY RETURNS

CLIFF SWAPS TAX RETURNS FOR CHEAP DAY RETURNS

Whitchurch resident Cliff Parker has had a lifelong interest in railways. Now he has adopted his local station.

Coryton adoption Cliff, who says he would not describe himself as a railway enthusiast but has always been interested in the subject, has recently retired from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs office.

“I have lived near Coryton Station for 22 years and use the station regularly.” he said. “I wanted to do something for the local community and this opportunity came up.”

Cliff is hoping that his other hobby of gardening may benefit the station, planting bulbs for spring and annuals for the summer.

Arriva Trains Wales ‘Adopt a Station’ scheme involves communities in caring for their local railway station. The scheme is supported by British Transport Police, who have reported a drop in anti-social behaviour at some stations. Dedicated Community Support Officers have also been introduced on Valley routes and they regularly patrol stations and trains.

By keeping an eye on things, and letting the local station manager know if any issues arise, Cliff hopes to keep the station in the best possible condition for locals and visitors alike.

Jeremy Williams, station manager for Arriva Trains Wales, said: “We are looking forward to working with Cliff at Coryton Station. The scheme is all about encouraging local people to take an interest in their local station.”

He continued: “Like our other unstaffed stations, Coryton is visited at least twice a week by our maintenance teams, who remove litter and keep the station clean. With Cliff acting as an extra pair of eyes and ears at the station, we’re sure to be made aware of any issues that arise between scheduled maintenance visits and ensure they’re resolved quickly.”

Station adopters carry out regular spot checks relating to the tidiness and cleanliness of the station, in addition to those already undertaken by Arriva Trains Wales. Any issues that may need addressing are then passed on to the local station manager. In return, adopters are offered travel vouchers for use on the Arriva Trains Wales network.

The scheme is supported by British Transport Police, who have reported a drop in anti-social behaviour at some stations. Dedicated Community Support Officers have also been introduced on Valley routes and they regularly patrol stations and trains. Since their introduction in May 2006, they have undertaken more than 3000 train and station patrols with 1000 people ejected from stations for loitering or having no intention to travel.