ANOTHER suburban Blackburn railway station is to get a floral and artistic make-over.

Pleasington will be upgraded this spring following similar successful beauty treatments at Mill Hill and Cherry Tree on the East Lancashire Line.

The community art and horticultural project to transform the station in Blackburn has been awarded £2,000 from the ‘Altogether Now project’ presented by the East Lancashire Community Rail Partnership.

It won first prize in a best-practice challenge set up by rail operator Abellio at an event organised by the Department for Transport.

The money will be used to help fund the work, with other match funding from the Connecting East Lancashire project and the councils Local Transport Plan being made available.

Working with vulnerable adults, college students and the newly formed local family group Young Weavers, the project is aimed at using community art to improve the waiting environment.

Blackburn with Darwen Council will pay for the refurbishment of the other facilities at the station.

The scheme will combine the expertise of Community Rail Lancashire, Northern Rail, local artist Alastair Nicholson, Stanley Grange, Blackburn College and the Young Weavers to develop imaginative artwork that will rejuvenate the station.

Stanley Grange, a voluntary organisation that works with people who have a range of disabilities such as cerebral palsy and autism and also runs its own nursery, will provide new planted areas and flower tubs.

Blackburn College students will survey passengers to identify their requirements for the station to fine tune the project.

A community art project will be developed that will add colour and panache at the revived station.

Stanley Grange will continue to look after the planted areas, in effect adopting the station.

This scheme will link to the borough’s new ‘Weavers’ Wheel’ cycle network.

Council regeneration boss Maureen Bateson said: “Investing in our railways is one of our priorities. It is not just about improving the servicebut it is also about improving the facilities and the passenger experienc.”

James Syson, chair of the East Lancashire and Clitheroe Line Community Rail Partnership, said:”Stations are gateways into our local communities and with passenger numbers increasing year on year more people are able to benefit from an attractive and safer waiting environment.”