High Wycombe Station enhancements unveiled including new artwork and planting schemes
High Wycombe railway station and its grounds have undergone a makeover following an adoption by local organisations Chiltern Rangers and Buckinghamshire New University.
An unveiling took place at High Wycombe yesterday (Monday 31 March), with representatives of Chiltern Railways, Chiltern Rangers, Buckinghamshire New University and art and design students in attendance.
In partnership with Chiltern Railways who funded the project through the Community Investment Fund, the group has embarked on a year-long improvement project to bring a sense of community to the station by creating new artwork and delivering planting schemes.
As part of their studies, the University’s art and design students created 20 pieces of artwork to reflect the town’s heritage. Now adorning the station's overbridge, these illustrations and designs include High Wycombe’s High Street, its infamous swan, chairmaking heritage, the Dashwood Mausoleum, and the station itself.
Environmental charity Chiltern Rangers has improved the green spaces around High Wycombe Station, working with local volunteers to deliver planting schemes outside the station and around the Brunel Engine Shed. The group have also commissioned local artists to deliver innovative pieces, with themes including Wycombe’s chairmaking heritage and wildlife.
Chiltern Railways’ Community Investment Fund supports local projects that create lasting positive change along the Chiltern Railways network. The scheme funds initiatives that enhance station environments, promote sustainable travel and strengthen community connections. Chiltern Railways is also complementing the community work by delivering station improvements, which includes new male, female and accessible toilets due to open this week.
Vanessa Russell, HR and Corporate Affairs Director at Chiltern Railways, said: “We are delighted that the partnership has significantly improved the customer experience at High Wycombe station. These projects have delivered social value benefits to the local community by engaging local volunteers and showcasing the work of students studying at Buckinghamshire New University.
"We look forward to continuing this partnership to deliver Easier, Greener and Better journeys for the people of High Wycombe."
John Shaw, Managing Director at Chiltern Rangers, said: “We are so proud to have adopted this important community garden with BNU as a gateway to our historic town.
"Thank you to our partner organisations and to more than 100 volunteers who have given over 250 hours of their time to transform their local station. Biodiversity is also a big winner with wildflower meadows and pollinator flowerbeds attracting local wildlife as we enter Spring.”
Chiltern Railways’ Community Investment Fund will open on Monday 07 April. More information can be viewed here.
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Notes to editors
- Chiltern Railways is part of the Arriva group, one of the leading providers of passenger transport in Europe, employing around 38,000 people and delivering around 1.5 billion passenger journeys across 10 European countries.
- Chiltern operates commuter/regional rail passenger services from its Central London terminus at London Marylebone along the M40 corridor to destinations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as long-distance services to the West Midlands along two routes. Services on the Chiltern Main Line run from London Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill, Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford, with some peak-hour services to Stourbridge Junction.
- Chiltern also runs trains on the London to Aylesbury Line to Aylesbury (with some trains terminating at Aylesbury Vale Parkway instead), on the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury and Oxford to Bicester branch lines.