Many people in Fareham have contacted me about issues on the Fareham line, including long delays and disruption to journeys which for people who use the service on a day-to-day basis can impact negatively on their quality of life. I have lobbied the Government and National Rail for improvements to the line and it is great to see that they have responded with some much needed upgrades to rail lines around Fareham.
I had the opportunity to visit Fareham station in October to recieve an update on works to the line. South West Trains will also make improvements to the station at Fareham, with the installation of a new cycle hub, a new accessible toilet and improvements to the station forecourt.
The layout of the track in the Fareham area is over 40 years old and according to Network Rail “some of the components have reached the end of their design life”. The work is part of Network Rail’s ‘Railway Upgrade Plan’ which is the biggest sustained programme of rail modernisation since the Victorian era – with the aim of increasing reliability of the railway infrastructure and to reduce disruptions to passengers.
However there are still many improvements to be made. The lack of proper disabled access at stations in the Fareham area, particularly at Portchester and Swanwick stations, is a real concern, making it almost impossible for wheelchair users and those with pushchairs or requiring walking aids to use the services the rest of us take for granted. I am currently campaigning to see that these important improvements are made