Railway stations share £5.5m for new ticket gates (From Surrey Comet)

Streatham, Croydon, Sutton and Wandsworth railway stations to get £5.5m ticket gates

11:50am Thursday 19th February 2009 in News By Jamie Henderson

Fourteen railway stations across southwest London are to benefit from a £5.5m scheme to install new ticket gates and ticket machines.

The stations, Streatham, Streatham Hill, Streatham Common, Tulse Hill, Gipsy Hill and West Norwood, will be updated as part of a £15bn investment in the national rail network designed to improve passenger safety and security.

Gates are also planned at eight other stations: Peckham Rye, Purley, Thornton Heath, Norbury, Wallington, South Croydon, Carshalton and Battersea Park.

Passenger fears increased after the 2006 murder of Tom ap Rhys Pryce as he left an unmanned station at Kensal Green.

Transport minister Lord Adonis said: "At first the gates will be staffed when operational but from next year they will be staffed for 15 hours a day. This scheme marks the first stages of improvements to station staffing that will be delivered from early 2010."

Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, the rail watchdog, said: "One of the key advantages of installing gates is that they must be supervised and therefore staff are present and visible at the station.

"Passengers tell us that they feel safer when there are staff around and it also means they can ask advice about their journey and easily seek out help."

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