A RAIL operator has made a multimillion-pound investment into improving comfort and communication for passengers.
Govia Thameslink Railway - the company that runs Southern and Thameslink services - has worked on improving facilities at railway stations in Sussex.
Southern and Thameslink customers returning to their railway stations as lockdown restrictions ease have been said to "be able to enjoy a host of new features designed to give them a better journey experience".
This work includes improving waiting rooms and providing new customer information screens.
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Stations with waiting room projects complete or underway are Bishopstone, Cooden Beach, Eridge, Burgess Hill, Crawley, Haywards Heath, Littlehampton and Wivelsfield.
New customer information screens are being installed at London Road, Newhaven Town, Polegate, Aldrington, Arundel, Billingshurst, Bosham, Faygate, Goring-by-Sea, Hassocks, and Haywards Heath, Hove, Ifield, Portslade, Pulborough and Southwick.
The new screens have the latest software and more readable displays as well as having more graphic options and better reliability.
The improvements are part of a network-wide, multimillion-pound programme launched in September 2020, involving more than 1,000 projects, many of which were requested by local passenger and community groups at 250 stations.
Chris Fowler, customer services director for Southern, said: "To make stations more comfortable, there are now over 150 new or refurbished waiting rooms, canopies and platform shelters, nearly 3,000 new seats, and 90 refurbished toilets.
"We are installing plenty of new screens where our customers told us they were most needed, as well as replacing some older screens with new ones.
"Putting additional screens towards the end of platforms encourages customers to spread out.
"This helps minimise crowding at busy times, which also speeds up boarding and improves punctuality.
"We've also installed more screens near station entrances because providing information before customers go through the gates can save them time and effort."
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