Mayors Engagements
Station Travel & Tourism Hub
28/05/2021 Official Opening of Petersfield Station Travel & Tourism Hub
To celebrate the re-opening of The Travel and Tourism Information Hub at Petersfield Railway station, the East Hampshire Community Rail Partnership (EHCRP) held a short promotional event last Friday.
Following the easing of national lockdown restrictions, the Hub are delighted to be promoting Petersfield and the surrounding South Downs National Park once again to the general public and welcoming visitors to travel to our beautiful area by train.
They will have information available on train and bus services, local walks, cycle rides and attractions so that once visitors arrive in Petersfield, they will have many diverse opportunities to explore the area.
Rail Officer, Mark Miller welcomed us to the Hub and gave us an overview of the services and improvements that were in the pipeline, or maybe that should be rail-line?
As in previous years, they will aim to have knowledgeable and helpful volunteers staff the Hub every Thursday to Sunday between 1000 and 1200. Longer opening hours will be provided if additional volunteers are found.
EHCRP Project Coordinator, Lucy Lomax told us about their ideas for further exciting projects, including a Cycle Back to Health project aimed at getting adults back on their bikes later in the Summer and opportunities to hold further community social events in the Hub.
Town Mayor, Cllr Phil Shaw took this opportunity to present Lucy with her covid hero award for all the support her and her volunteers provided during the lockdown.
The East Hampshire Community Rail Partnership is a not for profit organisation which aims to promote the rail services and stations covering Alton, Liphook, Liss, Petersfield, Rowlands Castle and Havant and link communities with their local railway. It is a part of the Hampshire Community Rail Partnership CIC along with its sister member the Three Rivers Community Rail Partnership and is a member of the national Community Rail Network https://communityrail.org.uk/
Its partners include South Western Railway, the Department for Transport, East Hampshire District Council, South Downs National Park, Network Rail, the Community Rail Network, Hampshire County Council, parish councils, local community groups and individual volunteers.
It was originally established in 2014 to promote access to the South Downs National Park without using a car.
Funding is provided now by South Western Railway, local sponsorship opportunities, with in kind support from all the other partners and external grants.
The activities of the partnership can range from litter picking at stations, to art and gardening projects, timetable liaison, transport policy development, provision of rail bus integrated services, improving rail services including marketing, rolling stock and infrastructure enhancements, bringing redundant station properties back into community use, production of tourism and information and leaflets and much more. It also runs the Free Shop facility at Petersfield Railway Station.
Further contact information:
Mark Miller (Rail Officer) on 07900 103296 / Lucy Lomax (Project Officer) on 07988 043870 info@easthampshirerail.co.uk
facebook.com/easthampshirerail or facebook.com/thehubPetersfieldstation
