First Great Western starts work next month on a major refurbishment of Ealing Broadway station.

When the project is complete early in 2008, customers using First Great Western and London Underground services can look forward to a new booking hall, waiting room and toilets.

Costing over £400,000, the Ealing Broadway building work is part of First Great Western’s £200 million investment in trains, stations and customer service.

Preliminary improvement work has already given Ealing Broadway a bright new look. Extensive re-painting has been carried out, poster boards have been repaired, floor covering at the entrance replaced and the stairwells and overbridge have been deep cleaned.

To enhance customer service at the morning peak time, two additional staff have been recruited to improve customer information flow and by the end of September, new customer information service screens will be installed.

"When all the work is finished, it will make a huge difference to our customers' overall journey experience," says Steve Lewis, First Great Western's Regional Station Manager whose responsibility covers stations from London Paddington to Oxford and Pewsey. The new facilities will give Ealing Broadway a much more pleasant environment," says Steve, "and I believe this major investment is another clear indication of our commitment to raising the standards of rail travel."

When the new booking hall is complete, three booking windows will be supported by a new bank of self-service ticket machines in London Underground style.

Libby Kemp, a board member of London TravelWatch and local resident said: "This much-needed refurbishment is a step in the right direction and will bring some relief to the users of Ealing Broadway station, which has been in need of improvement for many years."

Ealing Broadway is one of First Great Western’s busiest stations with around seven million passenger journeys recorded every year.