Andy wins rail ‘Oscar’

10:50am Saturday 11th October 2008

A TRANSPORT campaigner and a project to improve access at a country train station have won railway ‘Oscars’.

Andy Hutchings, of Weymouth, who fights for the rights of rail passengers and a group looking after Thornford station were honoured at the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (Acorp) annual award ceremony.

Both recipients are members of the Heart of Wessex Rail Partnership a body which promotes the Weymouth to Bristol line.

Mr Hutchings, a runner-up in the outstanding volunteer category, was recognised for his work organising events at Weymouth, setting up a Neighbourhood Watch-style scheme at Upwey and helping to compile a train overcrowding survey.

He said: “Obviously I’m delighted to receive an award for what I see as a hobby I thoroughly enjoy.

“It’s a joint award because my friend Terry Putnam also puts in a lot of hard work looking after Upwey station.

“Thanks should also go to the staff at Weymouth station who are very co-operative.”

The station access project at Thornford, near Sherborne, won first place in the local transport integration category.

This was a joint initiative project between Thornhackett parish council representative for Heart of Wessex Rail Partnership Terry Gough, First Great Western and Dorset County Council to provide car parking and a safer walking route to the station.

Mr Gough said: “We have badly needed to improve the accessibility to our station for many years but the cost compared with the benefit did not look promising.

“Thanks to the funding from First Great Western and the fast, professional and enthusiastic response of Dorset County Council, we are on our way to making a substantial improvement to the lives of rural rail users.

“This award is the icing on the cake.”

Sue McGowan, of the county council’s Local Transport Plan and Improvements Group, added: “This was a great example of a creative partnership, beginning with an initiative from the local community that generated funding support from First Great Western.

“This in turn opened up the potential for us to pursue and implement the project, and to include further stages of it in our Local Transport Plan.”

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