Lowestoft station looks blooming marvellous thanks to community project

Above: Hanging basket at Lowestoft station Credit: Lowestoft Central Project

Greater Anglia’s Lowestoft railway station has been ablaze with colour once again this year following a joint initiative between the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership, the Lowestoft Central Project and Lowestoft in Bloom.

This is the third year that the three voluntary organisations have worked together with the station now decorated with 19 hanging baskets, 21 tubs and 2 converted boats as planters all making for a more welcoming environment for both regular users and visitors at one of the key gateways to the town.

This year the team have used a new organic peat free compost helping to support their joint aim to be more environmentally friendly.

After a later than usual start due to poor spring weather, the Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership funded new plants with the boats receiving a refresh and the baskets made up using a new organic peat free compost by Lowestoft in Bloom, these were then installed and have been maintained since by volunteers from the Lowestoft Central Project.

With more people now using the station to travel, visiting the new Tourist Information facility and events in the Parcels Office Exhibition Space, the team have worked hard to make this important gateway to the town as welcoming as possible.

Jacqui Dale from the Lowestoft Central Project said, “Lowestoft Station is quite exposed to both wind and sunshine and it has taken a few years to get the mix of planting right. We have had so many positive comments about the floral displays this year from both visitors and regular users of the station. We are hoping that these displays will continue to look as good as we move into autumn and are now preparing our winter planting scheme.”

Debbie Blowers from Lowestoft in Bloom added; “We are pleased to continue our relationship with the Lowestoft Central Project and Wherry Lines Community Rail Partnership. It is a privilege to work with the team, helping to create some floral splendour at our town’s historic station and we very much hope to continue our joint initiative in the future.”

Alan Neville, Greater Anglia’s Customer and Community Engagement Manager, said, “I would like to thank everyone involved in this project for creating such lovely displays at the station, which will help to welcome people back as they return to travelling by train.”

All three groups have been keen to improve the environmental sustainability of planting at the station and this year have used a new peat free organic compost product and avoided pesticides.

The planting is also designed to attract and support wildlife including bees and butterflies, an initiative being championed by rail operator Greater Anglia as well as Community Rail Partnerships across the region.

Plans also exist for the creation of new wildlife friendly areas around the station.

Credit: Lowestoft Central Project