Network Rail have just announced that around 40% of Avanti West Coast services will be available to board 20 minutes before departure as part of a trial to help ease the perpetual overcrowding at Euston station. Because if you know, you know…
The early boarding trial has come as a result of an urgent safety review being called by London’s transport watchdogLondon TravelWatch, who believed that passengers were being put in danger due to the station’s overcrowding issues. The trial aims to see 55% of services introduce early boarding in the lead up to Christmas.
“Continuous boarding” has also been put in place for London Northwestern Railway services. This means that passengers are now able to head to the platform to await their train, as soon as the previous train as departed the platform.
Transport Secretary Louise Haighsaid: “I am pleased to see immediate improvements being made at Euston Station to reduce the risk of overcrowding, drive up standards and deliver a better experience for passengers. For too long, Euston station simply has not been good enough. That’s why I have tasked Network Rail and operators with delivering a clear plan to alleviate some of the issues passengers are facing while we work on a long-term solution for the station.”
Euston station is the tenth busiest station in the capital, with over 85,000 passengers using the station every day. It’s also the busiest inter-city passenger terminal in the entire country due to its connections from London to the likes of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, and Edinburgh.
Gary Walsh, director for Network Rail’s West Coast South route, said: “Getting passengers to their services in good time is at the heart of our improvements at Euston, and today’s changes will tackle that issue head-on. Taking quick and effective action is at the core of our five-point plan which I’m pleased to say is starting to deliver for our passengers at London Euston station.”
Here’s hoping that these rail-y positive changes are here to stay…
