Station project on hold due to lack of financial support

Plans to modernise the railway station which serves Europe's largest shopping centre, have hit the buffers despite passenger numbers rocketing from 25,000 to 250,000 in three years.

Shoppers were promised a £1.5m modern railway station at Greenhithe with disabled access, a new ticket hall and machines, new floors and lighting when Bluewater opened almost three years ago.

But the project, funded by Connex and Railtrack, is off as Railtrack pulled out due to a lack of finances in September 2000.

Now, passengers will have to settle for a lick of paint, extra lighting and minor improvements to the subway and booking hall at the tiny station.

The £150,000 project, financed by Connex and Railtrack, will take one year to complete.

A Connex spokesman said the work, which started a fortnight ago, was the first stage in reconstructing the entire station but plans to complete the promised project were "on the backburner".

He said: "There are no dates on the calendar as of yet."

Connex is looking for additional investment for the station and Dartford MP Dr Howard Stoate asked the Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions to make a contribution last week.

He said: "Welcome as they are, these refurbishments will not increase the capacity of the station and what I want to see is the planned reconstruction of the station promised prior to the opening of Bluewater."