The upgrade, which is being funded through the government’s national stations improvement programme, includes:

- Extending the existing concourse to make it easier to move around for passengers, particularly at the busiest times of the day. This will include installing a wider doorway.
- Renovating the toilets
- Upgrading customer information screens
- Providing new retail facilities
- Refurbishing the overbridge and stairs to the platforms, plus the staircase to the season ticket holder’s car park
- Extending motorcycle parking and installing double-decker racks to boost bike parking.
- Replacing waiting shelters on platforms 1/2 and 3/4.

Mike Smith, Network Rail’s route enhancement manager for Kent, said: “As well as providing a safe, punctual and reliable train service we must give passengers a better journey experience. The upgrade of Sevenoaks station is a big step forward and will make a big difference for the community and businesses in the town who use the railway for thousands of journeys every day.”

The station will remain open to passengers throughout the construction although, passengers will need to use the temporary facilities during some phases of the work. Details of these temporary facilities are being finalised and will be shared with passengers in advance of work starting.

Preparatory work is expected to start in December 2011, with main construction starting in early 2012. All work is scheduled for completion by Summer 2012.

City.Mobi

Also in Europe today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to London.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

London.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.