Harborough Rail Users takes part in the Station Adopters for Market Harborough station.  This group is led by Market Harborough in Bloom Volunteers, who maintain award-winning amenity planting around the station, such as the planting boxes on the platforms plus the two restored parcels trolleys and the ‘goods wagons’ near the car park steps.  All of this is done under the auspices of EMR and their Community Engagement Managers provide much help and guidance. 
Our previous Engagement Manager, Alexa Stott, who had given a great deal of assistance and support, recently left EMR.  We wish her well in her new ventures.  Her replacement, Kaye Robinson, visited the station on 28th March and we had a walk-around and discussed numerous ideas.  One of these is the ‘Stationmaster’s Garden’ the rough bit of ground at the foot of the car park access road, next to the car wash.  We are hopeful that access can be granted to enable volunteers to create a small open space or garden at this gateway location for the town.   This follows disappointment at the withdrawal of funding previously earmarked for an improvement scheme for the station forecourt and adjacent grassy bank under the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund via Harborough District Council.

​EMR have installed a new ‘Welcome Point’ in the booking hall at Market Harborough.  This is one of a small number of these on a trial at several of EMR’s stations.  The purpose is to enable disabled passengers or others who have booked assistance to alert staff to their arrival at the station when the booking office is unattended.  The large black and yellow cabinet is designed to be eye-catching.  Users place a hand where indicated on the panel on the front of the kiosk.  This messages the staff, who may be up on the platforms for example, to say they are there.  Staff can then come down and provide assistance.  In the meantime, the screen on the kiosk ‘wakes up’ and assurance is given both visually, with sign language, and by spoken announcement, that staff are on their way.
It is only an experiment, but in principle it is a good idea. HRU have given comments back to EMR to the effect that something similar in the car park pay-station would be worthwhile.  Station staff have told us it would be useful if the device had a camera and microphone such that they could interact with the customer before returning to the booking hall.  For example, there may be a delay in their attendance at the booking hall because they are engaged in urgent duties on the platform – such as assisting another disabled person in boarding a train.