Station Gate Entrance Widens

From Hemel Gazette February 1st 2006

Residents in Felden who were denied access to the rear of Hemel Hempstead trasin station by Silverlink could now be given free passage.

At a meeting with MP Mike Penning last week, Silverlink chiefs agreed to provide all regular rail users and children under 16 with rear accrss to the station.

Prior to the meeting on Thursday (January 26), the rail company had only provided season ticket holders with swipe cards to a new security gate in Roughdown Avenue.

The new gate was installed in December last year as part of a Silverlink crackdown on fare dodgers and vandals, despite protests by residents in Felden and Boxmoor.

Speaking after last week's meeting, Mr Penning said: "Silverlink has agreed regular rail users should be given access without question. The route through the station is also used by a lot of school children as a safe way and the company has agreed to give swipe cards to all pupils under 16."

Silverlink spokesman Graham Bashford said: "Regular rail users and school children up to the age of 16 are now entitled to swipe cards."

He added: "We will be contacting people who have previously applied for swipe cards but were unsuccessful."

Comment: At last we have actually got swipe cards. They seem to be letting residents have them. It still seems unnecessary though.

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