ELEVEN years after it was first suggested, “Kissing” and “No Kissing” signs went up at Warrington’s Bank Quay railway station – as part of a £1 million improvement scheme.
The signs denote areas where couples can say affectionate farewells – and where they should not linger too long for passionate goodbyes because they could cause delays.
Unique in Britain, the signs have been erected with the permission of Deerfield Village, Illinois, who copyrighted them 
in 1979.
Until now, the American village’s station boasted the only such signs in the world.
Virgin Trains, Network Rail, the North West Development Agency, the Department of Transport and Warrington Borough Council have spent more than £1 million giving the station a makeover.
The transformed station was officially re-opened by Warrington South MP Helen Southworth, accompanied by her Warrington North counterpart Helen Jones.
It has a more appealing and easier-to-use entrance with automatic doors leading to a bigger, brighter concourse with big new windows, a higher ceiling and extra room for customers waiting to buy tickets in a new booking office.
There is also a more attractive approach to the station and improved catering.
Helen Southworth said: “Our main railway station is really important to the thousands of local people, and people from the wider area, who use the trains. The improvements to access and facilities, as well as the additional trains on the new timetable, are making public transport far easier and more pleasant to use”.
It was in 1998 that the “Kissing” and “No Kissing” signs arrived in Warrington – a gift from the chamber of commerce in Deerfield Village, Illinois.
They were given to Warrington chamber chief executive Colin Daniels while he was on a business trip to the States.
He said: “It was all a bit of fun and, although I suggested they be put up at the station, they never were. But now Virgin Trains have agreed to erect them as part of the refurbishment.
“They may seem frivolous, but there is a serious message underneath. They certainly make our station unique in the UK.”
Pictured: Helen Southworth unveils a commemorative plaque, watched by Helen Jones – and the “Kissing” and “No Kissing” signs
2 Comments
The woman who created the original designed hasn’t gotten much credit in all of these news stories. Her name was Marge Emery, and she was the assistant village manager of Deerfield, IL back in 1979. She passed away in January 2008 at age 85. I’m from Deerfield, and have a decorative tile made from the original 1979 design. As the Warrington news article notes, the whole concept was just for fun and never meant to be enforceable. By the way, Ms. Emery’s copyrighted design and Warrington’s seem to be precisely the same, down to the hat and the curlers. Did Warrington get permission from Deerfield to use the design, I wonder?
Sorry — I should have read the article more thoroughly. It does mention that “the signs have been erected with the permission of Deerfield Village, Illinois, who copyrighted them in 1979.”