THE new Lea Green railway station, located at the A570 road bridge on Marshalls Cross Road, between Rainhill and St Helens Junction stations on the Liverpool-Manchester Victoria line, opened at the weekend.

The station cost £2.2 million to build with Merseytravel contributing £1.3 million, £772,000 coming from European Objective One funding and £215,000 from St Helens Council's Single Regeneration Budget.

Facilities at the new station include easy access for the disabled; a 190 capacity car park to encourage park and ride; a taxi rank and bus interchange with modern SMART shelters; CCTV surveillance; telephones and help points and cycle racks next to the booking office.

A half-hourly service will call at the station Monday to Friday, with an hourly service on Sundays.

More than 9,000 people live within a mile of the station, which also serves Lea Green Business Park, Sherdley Park and Sutton Leisure Centre.

Councillor Terry Hanley, chair of Merseytravel's Rail Committee and Executive Member for the Environment for St Helens Council, welcomed the new station. He said: "Lea Green station will act as a magnet for additional investment into the business area and will provide a major boost to the local economy. The additional transport facility will greatly benefit the many people living in the area, giving better access to leisure, education and health facilities."