Overcrowding at London’s Euston station ‘places passengers in peril’ | Rail trade

Rail passengers utilizing London’s Euston station are being put in peril from excessive ranges of overcrowding, a transport watchdog has warned.

London TravelWatch stated the station, which hosts companies to and from locations equivalent to Birmingham, Liverpool and Glasgow, was “struggling to manage” when prepare companies have been delayed.

The watchdog stated that regardless of assembly with the station’s proprietor, Community Rail, to voice its considerations, passengers have been nonetheless having to hurry to platforms due to last-minute bulletins, whereas workers typically appeared “overwhelmed by the sheer variety of individuals” they needed to take care of.

Euston obtained widespread criticism final week from passengers after a put up on X by the Guardian journalist Barney Ronay by which he described it as “simply the worst major station in western Europe” went viral.

London TravelWatch, an unbiased watchdog to advocate for individuals who journey within the capital, stated: “Even on good days, the passenger expertise at London Euston fails to match its significance because the capital’s major rail gateway to 4 of the UK’s largest cities.

“However it’s when prepare companies are disrupted that the station actually struggles to manage, with excessive ranges of overcrowding placing passengers in peril.”

Community Rail stated there was not sufficient room for passengers when there was disruption to companies, resulting in an “uncomfortable and ugly atmosphere”.

In September final yr, the Workplace of Rail and Highway issued an enchancment discover to Community Rail in relation to the station, saying that crowding had reached unacceptable ranges and accused the proprietor of getting an absence of crowd management in place.

It additionally discovered studies of minor accidents because of the crowding, which it stated had the “potential for extra critical penalties sooner or later”.

In December, the ORR stated Community Rail had complied with the discover and carried out measures to “handle passenger site visitors flows and overcrowding”.

London TravelWatch stated little had modified since December and just lately put in data screens had “performed little if something to make issues higher for passengers when companies are disrupted”.

On Tuesday, Community Rail warned passengers to keep away from the station for 10 days over the Christmas interval as closures to Paddington and Liverpool Avenue due to engineering works would make the station extraordinarily busy.

Community Rail has plans to increase the concourse at Euston however that is depending on it receiving extra authorities funding.

The station may also obtain an overhaul as a part of the HS2 undertaking however the authorities has but to verify if the road will terminate at Euston – as initially deliberate – or Outdated Oak Frequent, close to Acton, west London.

Final yr, the then Conservative prime minister, Rishi Sunak, stated that the high-speed rail line would solely be prolonged to Euston if it may safe sufficient non-public funding. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, is prone to approve funding for the station in her price range later this month, the Sunday Instances reported final weekend.

The location at Euston station was farmland earlier than its building, opening in 1837. It now serves extra 40 million passengers a yr – greater than twice the quantity for which it was designed, in keeping with the federal government.

A Community Rail spokesperson stated: “Euston was designed for a unique period and we acknowledge that it’s in want of main funding and modernisation.

“Nonetheless, security is on the coronary heart of our operation and one thing we’d by no means compromise on in any of our stations.

“For almost all of the time the station works; nevertheless, throughout instances of disruption, there merely isn’t sufficient room for passengers, and we all know this will make for an uncomfortable and ugly atmosphere.”