Adrian J Cotterill, Editor-in-Chief
Network Rail was ordered last Friday to turn off the digital screens at London Euston Train Station as part of a major review into overcrowding at the station.
UK Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh ordered Network Rail to declutter the station concourse and make changes to the way it handles train announcements after growing concern about the risk of dangerous incidents.
Network Rail and the Department for Transport were then forced to announce a five-point plan that “aims to improve the functioning of Euston station and deliver a better passenger experience”, pending longer-term design changes.
The statement issused admitted that the mainline station, which was built in the 1960s, “is in major need of overhaul and has led to some very uncomfortable and unpleasant conditions for passengers”.
Gary Walsh, Network Rail’s route director for West Coast South, said “Passengers haven’t received the experience they deserve at Euston recently and we need to do better. Our five-point plan will help improve things for passengers in the short term by creating more space, providing better passenger information, and working as an industry to improve the reliability of train services on the West Coast Main Line.”
Network Rail turned off its main departure board at Euston several years ago and replaced it with two ranks of ‘floating’ departure screens, in a bid to ease passenger flows. The main board was then replaced with giant advertising screens which (some say) only appears to have further antagonised already stressed passengers.
The old arrivals and departure board was located above the entrance to the platforms but passengers awaiting a train now have to check for information on two banks of V-shaped boards as they wait on the concourse (they were introduced after ‘computer modelling’ suggested they would ease people flow at the station.
The Network Rail five-point plan involves:
- Reviewing passenger information provision and circulation, including a shutdown and review of the use of overhead advertising boards
- A review on how passengers are invited to, and board services, especially during disruption
- Creating more concourse space and alleviating pinch-points, which will include more, and upgraded, toilet provision
- Unifying station operation during disruption to ensure a holistic approach is taken for the benefit of all passengers
- Driving up the reliability of both the infrastructure and train services to reduce disruptive events being experienced at the station
See also ‘The decision to swap information screens for overbearing adverts is the final straw for fed-up commuters‘.
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