A MAJOR enhancement scheme is being planned for Royston railway station as part of a £52 million improvement programme. The programme is being undertaken by rail operator First Capital Connect and will see Royston become a secure station under the schem

A MAJOR enhancement scheme is being planned for Royston railway station as part of a £52 million improvement programme.

The programme is being undertaken by rail operator First Capital Connect and will see Royston become a "secure station" under the scheme.

Work at the railway station is likely to include upgraded closed-circuit television, improvements to the waiting room and the introduction of ramps to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

First Capital Connect said the project would include "enhancements" for car parking.

A spokesman for the rail operator said: "What's important to us is the experience our customers have. We have started a deep cleaning programme for all our trains and want to improve our stations so that people know we have safe and clean facilities."

She said the rail operator wanted to create a station which could be seen as "a pleasant place".

Suggestions in the scheme have been outlined to members of Herts County Council's highways and transport panel.

Royston's MP Oliver Heald met Elaine Holt, managing director of First Capital Connect, to discuss commuter problems on Friday.

He said he raised the concerns about the lack of car parking at the railway station and the need to increase parking spaces.

He said he was "impressed" by the approach from the rail operator and was "hopeful" that car parking would be improved.

Mr Heald added that the improvement work planned for the station would make it safer in the future. "It is a station where we don't seem to have public order problems."

Royston's county councillor Doug Drake, too, supports the improvements proposals. "There has been concern about it needing refreshing," he said.

Cllr Drake said he told the county council that one issue he would like raised was an extension to the platform length so that 12-unit trains could use the station.

"It would help because during the rush hours we still seem to have a situation where passengers are packed in like cattle," he said.

Work on improvements to Royston station - the 300th busiest station nationally - will be part of the programme over the next three years.