Vote for Penrith train station to be named Britain’s favourite

Rail users are urged to vote for Penrith train station to be named Britain’s favourite.

It is one of 48 stations shortlisted in the World Cup of Stations 2020, which will vie for the title via an online poll.

The World Cup of Stations, now in its second year, will see the 48 stations whittled down to four, with the winner named on Friday evening.

Penrith’s shortlist for the competition follows its recent triumph at the National Rail Awards, where it was named Medium Station of the Year.

Judges commented that Penrith ‘has it all’ and praised the work of the Avanti West Coast Team at Penrith as community ambassadors.

Michael Byrne, Avanti West Coast station manager at Penrith, said: “Our close-knit community are really important to us and are a proud bunch. They see us as the beating heart of Penrith.

“We would love to repeat our success at the National Rail Awards and hope the people of Cumbria vote for us, so we can go as far as possible in this competition and hopefully get our hands on that trophy.

“It would mean so much to us in what has been a really challenging year.”

Robert Nisbet, director of nations and regions for the Rail Delivery Group, which is organising the competition, said: “The World Cup of Stations is about celebrating the thousands of stations across the country many of which have been at the heart of their communities for more than a century.

“It’s also about recognising the friendly local faces who have kept key workers moving throughout the pandemic. As Britain gets moving again, their role in supporting local businesses and spreading opportunity is more important than ever.”

Polls will be hosted on the Twitter page of the Rail Delivery Group.