Empty buildings at train stations in Bearsted and Hollingbourne could soon be used to house shops, cafés and community projects as part of regeneration plans.

Kent Community Rail Partnership (KCRP) made the announcement after looking at ways to improve passenger experiences and bring the old buildings back into use.

The organisation, which aims to ensure communities get the most out of their railways, was awarded the stations, along with 11 others on the Kent Downs line, in July 2020.

It's hoped the changes will encourage more people to travel by train by making the stations more user friendly and improving their use to suit individual community needs.

It comes as the number of passengers using the railways declined during the pandemic.

In 2019 more than 363,747 used Bearsted station. This fell by just over 60% in 2020 to 143,222.

For Hollingbourne, the footfall also fell from 63,002 passengers to 29,025, a decline of more than 53%.

The focus will be to build this back up over the coming years.

KCRP wrote to local organisations and authorities to find out how each station could be improved on the line which runs between Ashford and Otford.

Cllr Patrik Garten from Maidstone Borough Council's North Downs Ward suggested refurbishing and opening the closed station buildings in Hollingbourne by turning it into a community space.

Cllr Garten said: "When the line was adopted I thought, we need to do something with the train station.

"It's only a preliminary idea but it would be nice to have a combination of a village shop, a coffee shop and a taxi rank. It would make a great village asset.

"It might turn out to be something completely different but there are so many opportunities and great potential one way or another."

Before any decisions are made, those involved will take part in a site visit over the next few weeks to assess the available opportunities and their viability.

The empty rooms currently belong to Southeastern but the company has agreed to let the buildings.

There are similar plans for Bearsted Station which has a disused Grade II listed Victorian goods shed.

It would have been used to store coal but KCRP is hoping it can be refurbished into a library, a ticket office, a gift shop, a community café, or a combination of them all.

Bearsted Parish Council has pledged £200,000 towards the idea.

Other stations along the Kent Downs line have also been earmarked for upgrades.

Therese Hammond, the lead officer for the Kent Downs line, explains: "East Malling station has huge concrete walls on either side of the platforms which are a blank canvas for artwork and we'd like to look at possibly working with art students to fill those.

"We're also looking to instal cycling, walking and map boards at the station to attract visitors to the area.

"With Borough Green and Wrotham, some volunteers would like to transform a very overgrown part of the station, which would have been the ticket master's garden, and are looking at planting a wild flower meadow."

Harrietsham station is being adopted by Sunrise pre-school who want to add planters and artwork.

Charing station is being adopted by Charing Parish Council and Heath Farm School who are aiming to convert a large piece of Network Rail waste land into a community garden and an outdoor learning space.

KCRP, hosted by Sustrans, also oversees stations on the Medway Valley and Swale Rail lines.

All the potential projects are in the early stages and KCRP is still open to suggestions from community groups who would like to get involved.

Anybody who may be interested in the project can contact Therese Hammond on Therese.Hammond@sustrans.org.uk.

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