A MAKEOVER of the car park at Oxenholme Station has been completed by Network Rail and Virgin Trains as part of the Great North Rail Project.

The improvements involve a resurfaced car park including improvements to two accessibility spaces, better drop-off bays, clearer spaces for taxis and new signs.

Network Rail and Virgin Trains have worked on the improvements with local taxi drivers and Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron who have advised on the works.

Patrick Cawley, director of route sponsorship at Network Rail said: “The car park at Oxenholme was in need of some attention and after numerous repairs, we decided to completely resurface the whole area to improve it for commuters and visitors to the area.

“We are grateful to the local taxi group and MP, Tim Farron, for their advice in planning this work, which has meant we’ve been able to allocate enough spaces to meet the different needs of users at the station.”

Louise Fairclough, Virgin Trains Station Manager at Oxenholme, said: “As the gateway to the Lake District, Oxenholme welcomes thousands of visitors every year and we know how important it is for many of them to get a taxi to their onward destination. Working in partnership with Network Rail we have made changes outside the main entrance, making journeys more seamless with an improved taxi rank and parking provisions.

"We’re sure the changes will improve the experience for customers travelling to and from Oxenholme station for many years to come.”

The upgrade work at Oxenholme station forms part of the £5m track renewal works at the station and the wider Great North Rail Project - a rail industry programme to transform passenger journeys across the North of England.

It is also in addition to £50,000 of flood prevention work completed in February this year to protect the station and railway.