Folkestone West Station: Urgent Action needed from Network Rail

12.29.53pm GMT Tue 10th Mar 2009

Councillor Tom McNeice with one of the many potholes outside Folkestone West railway station

Folkestone Councillors Tom McNeice and Tim Prater have taken Network Rail to task over the state of Station road by Folkestone West Station. The road, which is a private road owned by Network Rail, is rutted with huge potholes and covered in litter.

Councillor Tim Prater has reported the issues to Network Rail and commented:

"Station Road is in an awful state, with major potholes and serious litter issues. The potholes are to the stage when they may cause damage to cars or injury to pedestrians.

"The road urgently needs resurfacing (the potholes are beyond simply patching which has been tried before) and the litter cleared on a regular basis, which is currently not happening.

"The station is a major entrance point to Folkestone, and the image of the town is being damaged by the look of Network Rail's land. The litter issue could also be helpfully improved by some bins being sited on the road, where there are none at present.

"A nearby resident has told me that Network Rail have previously tried to share road repair costs with local residents, but the stretch of Station Road that is owned by Network Rail is ONLY fronted by the station - no other houses front that stretch of road. The traffic in the road and the litter created is almost universally due to the users of the station, and repairs and litter clearance are needed urgently, and are Network Rail's responsibility."