Cash For Station Improvements Can’t Be Used

East Midlands Railway has been told it cannot use council cash for improvements at Market Harborough Railway Station.

The operator was awarded over £73,000 from Harborough District Council last year, from a funding pot given to the authority from government.

However, rules governing how the UK Shared Prosperity Funding can be used have changed.

Market Harborough Railway Station

A council spokesperson said: “The money allocated to railway station improvements by the council can no longer be used due to restrictions placed on East Midlands Railway and the nationalisation of the railway.

“As a result, the project cannot be delivered by the end of this financial year.

“The funding allocated to the station will be diverted to other district-wide projects to ensure the benefits are felt by all residents.”

The money was to be used to create a newly landscaped garden area, welcoming arch, wayfinding signage and additional seating.

An EMR spokesman told HFM: “As a result of the nationalisation bill all governance processes had to be reviewed.

“In terms of the works at Market Harborough the timescales to procure for this project were challenging and this delay has resulted in the works not being able to be completed before the end of the financial year.”