SOUTH Western Railway has completed an improvement project totalling £6.5 million across more than 100 stations — including Yeovil Junction, Crewkerne, and Templecombe.

The refurbishment works have been carried out on 78 stations in south England over the past year to deliver "modern facilities, greater accessibility and sustainability".

At Yeovil Junction station this has meant a total refurbishment of the toilet facilities. 

The station toilet cubicles, urinals, flooring and walls have been "refreshed and enhanced to provide a more pleasant and hygienic environment for customers".

South Western Railway (SWR) said it had increased the sustainability of the toilets with "modifications to improve ventilation, more efficient lighting and heating systems, and the use of sensors to reduce water consumption, among other measures."  

Additionally, SWR has installed an accessible toilet in Yeovil Junction, to make its network "more accessible for all customers". 

In Crewkerne, the station has benefited from new "more comfortable" benches inside the station building. They are "made from new upholstery", and were installed due to the existing benches having reached the end of their life or being damaged. 

Templecombe station was also treated to a lick of paint, along with 33 other SWR locations including Sherborne.

South Western Railway said in an update: "The completed projects are part of SWR’s programme of continuous station improvements to enhance the customer experience and attract people to the railway as a greener and easier way to travel."

Those travelling to Salisbury can enjoy a refurbished waiting room with calming features "particularly for the benefit of neurodiverse customers" - including relaxing coloured lighting and acoustic wall treatment to deaden sound and plants. 

Nine new waiting rooms were installed across the SWR network, with "timber or heritage effect finishes, softer seating and murals relevant to the location".  

Alistair Wright, Head of Infrastructure & Property at South Western Railway, commented:  “Every year, we make significant investments to improve and modernise our network to make every journey easy and reliable.

"Some changes may seem small, but they make a real difference. A fresh lick of paint to brighten surroundings, and features that make navigating a station or using the toilet that much easier, can make travelling by train a much more pleasant and comfortable experience.  

“Our stations are the heart of the communities we serve, and the teams can be really proud of the fantastic job that they have done to refresh and improve our spaces, particularly for customers with additional accessibility requirements.”