Anna Firth MP, has launched a campaign for contactless ticketing and step-free access to the platforms. Anna joined with Chalkwell Councillors Nigel Folkward and Stephen Habermel and other Southend Conservative councillors to launch the campaign.
Anna has raised the issues faced at Chalkwell Station several times in the House of Commons, and is of major importance to her after being elected for the Member of Parliament for Southend West.
Contactless ticketing is the future of travel, with it both being easier, cheaper and more environmentally friendly. The implementation of e-tickets will lead to less need for paper tickets, which is more environmentally conscious and reduces costs for C2C Rail with a reduction of ticket machine usage.
Step-free access is essential for Chalkwell Station. Southend West has a diverse but ageing population, so the need for step-free access is evident, with the steep steps at the station being an arduous challenge for some.
Anna said,
“The vital improvements for Chalkwell Station are something I have campaigned for since I have been MP. These much-needed improvements will mean that disabled people are able to access our trains, and the upgrade cannot come soon enough!
“Contactless ticketing is the future, and we need to adapt. Too many people have seen their journeys disrupted because of broken ticket machines – contactless will mean this will be a problem of the past!”.
