In the news …

Walkden station and the FOWS are featured in a short article in yesterday’s Bolton Evening News - click here to read it.

Transport Cop the star at FOWS AGM

The audience discussed concerns including lack of Sunday services, the dirtiness of the station (particularly the frontage and the pigeon mess on the pavements), disabled access and the high platform step at last night’s AGM, and we welcomed a dozen new members to FOWS.

PC Gareth Wilson was the guest speaker and gave an interesting presentation on the operation of BTP and reported incidents of crime at Walkden in particular. Many in the crowd were surprised to learn that based on levels of reported crime Walkden is one of the less problematic stations in the area. Conceding that the lack of contact details for BTP on display at the station may contribute to some under-reporting, PC Wilson promised to speak to Northern Rail about installing a BTP poster at the station. PC Wilson also promised to look into a number of issues raised by the audience and investigate the possibility of a crime prevention campaign at Walkden. PCSO’s Michelle Mckeown and Melissa Birchall accompanied PC Wilson and promsied to schedule in some more visits to Walkden in the near future. The police asked for help from the public by contacting them with any information or concerns about crime at the station, and they re-assured the audience that all calls are taken seriously and will be followed up.

The AGM was well supported by local councillors with Iain Lindley, Les Turner & Beryl Howard all present. We were also pleased to welcome Sarah Clarkson representing Barbara Keeley (who was in Westminster), and Elizabeth Charnley from our colleagues at FRECCLES (the Friends of Eccles Station). An update from Barbara on her activities in support of the station is on display in our poster case at the station.

The three serving officers of FOWS were re-elected (unopposed) for another year.

If you were unable to attend the meeting but would still like to join FOWS, please drop us an email at friends@walkdenstation.org.uk

FOWS campaign for improved pedestrian safety

You may have seen the article in this week’s Salford Advertiser (”Campaigners fight for a safe crossing”) reporting on our recent meeting with Salford Council planners and the Walkden Road Traders Group to discuss road safety improvements around the Walkden Road/Park Road accident blackspot.

FOWS have asked for a pedestrian crossing to assist the hundreds of station users who face the daily peril of crossing two busy roads outside the station entrance. As any regular station user will know, the dingey under-bridge conditions and proximity of the mini-roundabout make it difficult for pedestrians to catch drivers’ attention, and getting over the road to or from the station can be a dangerous enterprise.

Salford have listened to our concerns, and are currently costing up several options.

Chamber of Commerce Support for Walkden

We were pleased to note the letter in last week’s Salford Advertiser expressing Greater Manchester’s Chamber of Commerce’s frustration at the lack of investment from GMPTE in stations like Walkden, and the lack of clear commitments on spending plans for future years.

The letter shows that the lack of investment is viewed as a problem by the business community at large, and not just the passengers who face years of waiting for substantial improvments.

 

FOWS in the Press

FOWS are featured in an article entitled “Walkden: from neglect to nurture” in the Winter 2007 edition of Northern Rail’s stakeholder magazine “Connections”.

Northern remove graffiti quickly

Thanks to Northern Rail and maintenance contractors ISS for moving quickly to obliterate the latest outbreak of graffiti within 24 hours.

In contrast to Northern’s sppedy action, an article in today’s Salford Advertiser reports that GMPTE don’t plan to make any significant investment in stations like Walkden for up to 10 years … I’m afraid it looks like those “Life on Mars” headlines will hold true for quite some time unless GMPTE change their plans.

FOWS are grateful for an excellent series of articles in the Advertiser by Pamela Welsh that have focused on the state of Walkden station and public transport in Greater Manchester generally. You can read Pamela’s previous article online here.

If you think this isn’t good enough and GMPTE should be doing more to encourage the use and development of Walkden station, why not write to your local councillor or the chair of GMPTE Roger Jones ? All councillors contact details can be found on the Salford website.

In the news again

FOWS are featured again in this week’s Salford Advertiser - watch out for further articles in the next few weeks.