Anger over litter at station serving beauty spot
LDRSResidents have complained about litter building up at a station serving a beauty spot in Surrey after all the platform rubbish bins were removed.
Box Hill & Westhumble railway station, which serves visitors heading to Box Hill, no longer has bins on its platforms after changes linked to recycling regulations.
Pictures taken earlier this month showed litter, including drinks bottles, cups and food packaging, on the platforms.
A spokesperson for rail operator Southern told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the small station does not have "secure space for the large wheelie bins we would need to store rubbish from the bins ready for collection".
The rail firm is encouraging passengers to use bins on board their trains or to take their litter home to dispose of appropriately, while increasing the number of staff picking up rubbish from platforms.
'Incredible amount of visitors'
Several residents have written to local Liberal Democrat MP Chris Coughlan to voice their anger.
David Farmery, from Westhumble, said Southern had a responsibility to ensure the station was clean and tidy.
He said: "They seem to think that Boxhill and Westhumble is a small station but we receive an incredible amount of visitors over the weekend.
"So I really do wonder if they did a proper assessment of our situation rather than imposing a company-wide no bins policy to their unstaffed stations."
LDRSOn Facebook, Coughlan said he had raised concerns with Southern alongside residents.
The MP for Dorking and Horley said Southern had deployed more staff to carry out cleaning at the station, adding: "I'm glad they've listened but I will be asking them to provide a more permanent solution."
A spokesperson for the rail operator said: "We take concerns about litter at Box Hill and Westhumble station seriously and have increased the frequency of staff attending the station to carry out cleaning.
"The changes were introduced to comply with new Simpler Recycling regulations.
"We are keeping the change under review."
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