Plans to re-name the Southminster branch railway line will be unveiled in the spring.

Community rail partnership officer, Linda Smart, is working with Great Eastern for a competition to re-name the line and will now be seeking residents' views on the project.

Schools and individuals will also be asked to take part in a bid to encourage local people to take 'ownership' of the line.

The move is one of several projects Mrs Smart is working on to improve the line - but she is appealing for more people to come forward as they are needed to become involved to make it a success.

But there is a degree of apathy over the project - at the last meeting held earlier this month nobody from South Woodham, Southminster or Battlesbridge bothered to attend.

She said: "We have a really good small group who always attend but they constantly do all the work.

"We don't receive much interest from South Woodham. Someone is trying to promote it through the Dengie Hundred Group of Parish Councils but at the end of the day we are trying to promote the whole line."

Mrs Smart added Great Eastern have put CCTV at Burnham Southminster and Woodham and are working with the rail partnership to get external funding for Althorne, Battlesbridge and Fambridge stations, which would then encourage people to join in projects as they know they are being monitored.

Anyone who would like to get involved with the community rail project can contact Linda Smart on 01206 397061.

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