South Western Railway (SWR) will install ten e-bikes and a docking station close to Axminster station.

Organised by Axminster Town Council, SWR has invested £50,000 with £15,000 match funding towards this cause to improve the accessibility around the area and offer an inclusive cheap, quick transportation solution to the local community that promotes both exercise and environmental sustainability.

The scheme comes as part of a £1.5 million investment in 58 local community projects across the SWR network and builds on the success of similar projects at other nearby SWR stations. These e-bikes are simple to use and are a fantastic way to lower individual carbon footprint and become more environmentally conscious about fossil fuel usage.

A wide range of projects will be underway funded by a range of grants. Projects that benefit local communities by improving their surroundings, as well as their residents’ quality of life, are just some of those awarded funding from SWR’s Customers and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF) round for 2023-4.

In total, 58 schemes have been awarded CCID funding, and when combined with the additional match funding that 35 of the projects have also confirmed, a little over £3 million is set to be invested in these important community projects.

SWR’s Customer and Commercial Director said, “At South Western Railway, we are always looking for ways to support the local communities our network serves, and the Customer and Communities Improvement fund plays a vital role in this by funding schemes that will provide very real benefits for people in town and villages across our network. We’re delighted to help bring these projects to life and we look forward to seeing them completed and flourishing.”