A PURPOSE-BUILT exit for football fans is the ‘next step’ for upgrades at Pokesdown station, Tobias Ellwood has said.

Following a public meeting of the Boscombe Forum last week, it was confirmed that progress had been made on the project to install lifts and carry out upgrades at the station.

Tobias Ellwood, MP for Bournemouth East, has backed the 12-year campaign.

He told the Daily Echo that the next step once the lifts are installed is to discuss plans for a new exit on the north side of the tracks to take fans out towards the Vitality Stadium.

The MP said he had had conversations with previous AFC Bournemouth chairman Jeff Mostyn about the club’s involvement in station improvement plans.

Bournemouth Echo:

“You could provide, with a bit of thought and planning, a route away from the residents area but parallel to the tracks and then turning north to allow fans access,” he said.

“AFC Bournemouth were really keen to somehow decorate the station, and make a stronger connection, a bond between a fantastic Premier League club and the local station, as we see in other parts of the country.

“They could use some of their billboarding to lift the character of the station and give it a sense of identity, given it’s so close to AFC Bournemouth. I think that would be fantastic.

“If we can get over these challenges in 2024, that certainly should be the next stage, to take advantage of upgrading our local station.”

Bournemouth Echo:

Andy Jones, vice chair of Boscombe Forum, agreed that re-engaging the club in its involvement in the station would make sense.

“I think anything we can do to get the club more involved as a community club at the station, which is obviously the nearest to the ground, the better,” he said.

“AFC Bournemouth is a community club, Pokesdown is the nearest station and it is used by football fans week in, week out through the season.

“I think anything we can do over and above getting the lifts installed, which is the priority for the local community, some kind of sponsorship, maybe open up the access, that makes sense and would work alongside the refurbishment of the station. The two, to me,go hand in hand.

“It will be interesting to see if we can get some plans drawn up [for the new exit] and ask local people what they think and perhaps move that forward as an option.”

Mr Ellwood said he would be approaching AFC Bournemouth for talks on the station.