East Sussex stations set for improvements to encourage rail commuters to cycle

Bexhill Station will get £180,000 from the Department for Transport to instal a cycle hub, while Normans Bay, Collington and Winchelsea stations will share a grant of £25,000 for new cycle parking on site.

The investment is part of the Cycle Rail Programme, which has now been backed by over £40 million from the Department for Transport and has helped tens of thousands of cyclists to make their journeys to work more joined up and sustainable.

Cycling and Walking Minister Michael Ellis, said: “Cycling to your nearest station and catching a train to work is a great way to keep healthy, reduce emissions and help make our towns and cities vibrant places to live.

• Man arrested after series of Bexhill burglaries

• Beaches, streets and public areas in Rother get a clean sweep thanks to funding initiative

• Bexhill police pursuit: two men arrested after getaway car collides with another vehicle

“But to make this a reality, I know that the right infrastructure needs to be in place. This latest investment will see many more stations become accessible for cyclists, so that greener travel options – whether as part of a longer or shorter journey – become the norm.”

The Cycle Rail programme has already tripled the number of cycle parking spaces at more than 500 stations, bringing the total to over 80,000. This includes the creation of integrated cycle hubs at key railway stations, including at Hove, where 150 additional bike spaces with secure key card access and CCTV have been provided, alongside a cycle maintenance, hire and repair business.

Xavier Brice, CEO for Sustrans, said: “Walking and cycling should be the easiest way for everyone to get to their local station, making our towns and cities better places to live by reducing congestion and air pollution, and improving our physical and mental health. But it’s not always easy.

“Train operators and their partners have come up with a range of schemes that will make it easier for people to get to and from their station under their own power, which we hope will encourage more people to choose cycling and walking as part of their everyday journey.”