The 'Green Green Grass of Home' planters have been returned to Pontypridd Train Station, the planters were temporarily placed with Pontypridd Town Council but have now been returned to the train station, following help from Pontypridd Town Council staff, Bee Friendly Pontypridd and Arriva Trains Wales.

Representatives of British Transport Police, Bee Friendly Pontypridd and Arriva Trains Wales including Managing Director Tom Joyner met at the train station to celebrate the planters being placed at the station, and discussed ways of working with Bee Friendly Pontypridd and the Your Pontypridd BID in the future to improve the station and introduce new ideas. The Arriva Trains Wales representatives were very impressed by the craftsmanship of planter boxes and was very pleased to hear that they had been built as a project in partnership with Hawthorn High School's Youth Engagement and Participation programme, Mr Joyner thanked every individual and organisation involved in bringing the plant boxes to Pontypridd train station.

The planters were originally funded by the Your Pontypridd Business Improvement District, in partnership with EggSeeds, Newydd and Hawthorn High School's Youth Engagement and Participation programme, and thanks to the persistence of the Bee Friendly Pontypridd group the planters are now back in place at the train station full of wonderful flowers and herbs to brighten up the front of the station and to help Pontypridd become a more bee friendly town.

Featuring the lyrics of the famous song ' Green Green Grass of Home' " The old home town looks the same as I step down from the train, and there to meet me is my Mama and Papa" the planter boxes pay tribute to one of Pontypridd's greatest talents Sir Tom Jones, and will take visitors back down memory lane remembering his famous career.

The BID staff, Caspar Harris of Bee Friendly Pontypridd and British Transport Police representatives were also treated to a presentation from Arriva to hear about the major improvements the station has undergone including new ticket gates, a full canopy roof renewal, provision of new toilets and waiting room, cleaning of facades, a new entrance, enhancements to CCTV and more recently a new installation of an automated public address system providing audible train running information. There are also plans in 2018 for Wifi to be installed at the station.

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