PASSENGERS can look forward to using a brighter and safer Green Lane station after an official opening on Friday.

The Birkenhead station has undergone a £675,000 face-lift as part of the Lairdside Regeneration Initiative.

Lairdside put in £75,000, Merseytravel matched that figure and Railtrack invested the remaining £525,000 to improve the station.

They have paid for CCTV, better lighting, a new waiting shelter, a bright new look and a refurbished entrance hall.

Councillor Phil Davies from Lairdside said: "The station is part of a Lairdside renaissance. I am confident we have started to turn around the problems that Lairdside has been addressing. This station is an important piece of the jigsaw and I am delighted with the refurbishment.

"I am looking forward to the station being used more than before."

Wirral Mayor Hugh Lloyd officially opened the station, unveiling a plaque to celebrate the occasion.

"When Conway Park station opened 18 months ago I had a go at Railtrack for not putting their hands in their pockets but now I have to praise them for their investment in Green Lane," said Coun Lloyd. "This should be the first of many station refurbishments."

Birkenhead MP Frank Field, who was also at the opening, said: "This is a very important part of a huge package of investment and regeneration in the Lairdside area."

Joanne Garrity of Lairdside Regeneration Initiative added: "There is a need for the employment-generating schemes of the Lairdside area to be served by an efficient, attractive and secure public transport system. The improvement works at Green Lane have fulfilled this need and complement the substantial developments currently underway in the surrounding area."

Railtrack's Production Manager Mike Cowman said: "Railtrack's station regeneration programme is now beginning to show some real achievements in station quality - Green Lane is a clear example of this."

Council Leader Dave Jackson added: "The new look station is great news for Lairdside and Wirral as a whole, as good public transport facilities act as a further incentive to companies wishing to relocate here."

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