Plans to improve Wimbledon Chase rolled on this week, as local people called for railway rejuvenation.

A community group looking to transform the area has said its run down railway was at the heart of the problem - and this week joined Wimbledon’s MP to hand a petition to Network Rail asking them to clean up its act.

In March the Wimbledon Civic Forum organised a meeting to discuss regeneration plans for the area, and produced a report outlining ways in which it could be transformed.

Iain Smith, a spokesman for the group, said: “Wimbledon Civic Forum believes that Chase could be transformed from its present unlovely state to an attractive leafy area for the benefit of residents and businesses alike.

“It would not take much to make it a lot better, and that is what are in the process of doing.”

The petition has attracted 702 signatures. It asks for Wimbledon Chase station to be refurbished or redeveloped, for the railway bridge to be repainted, and for litter to be cleared from the embankments.

Mr Smith said Merton Council has already pledged to improve the area with more than a dozen new trees, and station operator First Capital Connect has also made improvements.

The petition was handed to Network Rail on Monday by MP and shadow transport minister Stephen Hammond, who said he would urge the company to tidy up the area.

He said: “I know there is an understanding of the problem. One would hope Network Rail will take seriously their obligations to local people.

“I am hopeful we will see something positive come out of this.”

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