Major repair and refurbishment work has been completed at Shoreham-by-Sea to upgrade and improve the station for passengers while helping the environment.
Shoreham-by-Sea station was one of the earliest stations to open in the south of England, coming into operation in 1840. It serves both the West Sussex seaside town and Shoreham Airport (also known as Brighton City Airport), which lies about a mile to the east.
A trial of using HVO fuel while upgrading the station has helped reduce the amount of carbon produced at the site by 37%. Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is an advanced renewable fuel made from pre-existing bio-waste products such as used cooking oil, waste plant and organic matter.
While it currently costs more than red diesel, it reduces net CO2 greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 90%.
The works include:
- Replacement of roof sheets on both platforms to keep passengers dry
- Replacement of gutters and downpipes which will reduce the risk of flooding
- Timber valance board replacement to protect the canopy roof
- Replacement of fascia boards which stop water from penetrating the roof
- Prep and painting of canopy metalwork and timberwork to protect the structure
The station has a staffed ticket office which is open for the majority of the day on all days as well as self-service ticket machines available. The station also has a passenger waiting room, café and toilets which are open when the station is staffed.
Both platforms and the waiting room have departure boards as well as modern help points and are both fully accessible with step-free access available throughout the station.
Shaun King, Sussex route director for Network Rail, said: “This upgrade has made a big difference to Shoreham-by-Sea station by improving the experience for passengers. These improvements are a vital aspect of our work to provide a safe, reliable and efficient railway.
“Shoreham-by-Sea was also the first project in Sussex to use recycled cooking oil instead of diesel fuel, allowing engineers to reduce the amount of carbon produced at the site by 37%. These actions help Network Rail work towards its goal of Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2050.”
The station’s most frequent service is eastbound to Brighton, with four trains per hour. An additional half hourly service runs to London Victoria, taking approximately half an hour. Regular trains also run westbound to Littlehampton, Southampton Central and Portsmouth Harbour.
Chris Fowler, Southern’s Customer Services Director, said: “On behalf of our customers, we welcome Network Rail’s investment to restore and protect the fabric of the station buildings at Shoreham-by-Sea, and thank them for the care taken to minimise disruption and use low-carbon energy.“As restrictions ease and more passengers return to the station, they’ll also be able to enjoy a package of enhancements we’re making as part of our own network-wide, multimillion-pound station improvement programme. These include new seats and platform shelter, refurbishing the waiting room, and refreshing the landscaping.”
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