CAMPAIGNERS who have fought for 10 years for more parking at Haslemere station to ease town congestion, turned out in force to celebrate the official opening of 110 more spaces.

Special guest at last Friday’s opening ceremony was Haslemere MP Jeremy Hunt, who has backed the campaign led by the town council throughout.

“This is a terrific achievement,” Mr Hunt said. “I thank Alistair Wright, head of station property, and everyone at South West Trains for the speed in which this has been built.

“I would particularly like to thank Haslemere Town Council and councilor Michael Dover in particular, who got the ball rolling when he was town mayor and came up with creative ideas.

“Overflow parking has been a nightmare for people living on the streets near the station.”

The town’s current mayor Sahran Abeysundara said: “Parking has been an ever-growing concern in Haslemere over the last 10 years.

“Successive mayors have campaigned for extra spaces and here we are with an upper deck providing 110 more spaces.

“A large part of Michael’s time as a mayor was spent lobbying and more recent mayors have taken on the challenge.

“A great number of people have been involved. Our MP Jeremy Hunt backed it along with borough and county councillors, including Nikki Barton, leading to the decision to go ahead made in January this year .

“This is a victory for all the people who dreamed big and campaigned tirelessly.”

Work started at the Lower Street station to create decked parking on top of the existing car park, in August.

Improved security with extra CCTV cameras has been provided with new help points and segregated walkways – as well as improved lighting.

Mr Wright said: “We’re delighted to open the expanded car park at Haslemere. We know how important the car park is to local residents.

“Expanding car parking capacity across the network continues to be a key priority for us. By the end of the year we will have delivered an extra 1,400 spaces.”

Mrs Barton told The Herald: “The new car park deck at the station is just one element in a wider scheme to improve Haslemere station and its environs.

“This is a strategic initiative designed to promote the town and the enjoyment of its beautiful surrounding countryside, in the context of the 1.4 million passenger journeys made each year through the station.

“South West Trains, Surrey County Council and the recently created Haslemere Community Rail Partnership are the lead partners in this project, which has already received a national ACORP award for its innovative approach.

“Key features of the improvement include the new cycle hub for 120 bikes, together with forecourt works to upgrade access for pedestrians and bus users.

“In addition, the vacant station shop has been renovated to create a community visitor information hub and the rail partnership has secured funding for it to have a member of staff who will co-ordinate a team of volunteer travel and visitor ambassadors.

“New maps and signage will be installed to help visitors arriving in the town and there is to be new planting both on the platforms and on the station approaches.

“I am currently working with Surrey Highways on both the installation of a proposed cantilevered bus shelter in the current bus layover, which will provide a new pick-up and drop-off point to reduce forecourt congestion, and on the relocation of the current ‘caged’ bus stop opposite the station to a safer position.

“This joined-up approach to improving the station would not have been possible without the energy, enthusiasm and financial contributions of the numerous partners of the Haslemere Community Rail Partnership, which I have the privilege to chair.

“Most recently, the partnership has been joined by The Station House hotel and we look forward to welcoming other new members in due course.”

The founding partners of the HCRP were South West Trains, Surrey County Council, Haslemere Town Council, South Downs National Park, Haslemere Visitor Information Centre, Haslemere Fringe, Haslemere Museum, the Haslemere Society and Haslemere Vision.