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Stations can be frightening late at night, admits minister
Dick Murray, Transport Editor18.02.09
A TRANSPORT minister today admitted that waiting for a train late at night in London in a poorly lit and unmanned stations can be a "frightening experience".
Lord Adonis blamed previous Labour and Tory governments for their failure to invest in the capital's rail network which has resulted in a "legacy of rundown, inhospitable and often unstaffed stations across the capital".
Lord Adonis, who has special responsibilty for railways, said his "single most important priority is the safety and security of passengers". In a major boost for the Evening Standard's Safer Stations campaign, he said future rail franchise agreements would mean stations staffed for longer periods of the day.
The first franchise to be renewed, at the end of the year, will be South Central, which includes the Brighton line into Victoria. It is currently owned by transport giant Go Ahead. The minister singled out the Standard for its campaign aimed at ensuring the rail companies staff stations all the time trains are running.
Passenger fears have been highlighted by the Standard's campaign launched in 2006 after the murder of Tom ap Rhys Pryce as he left an unmanned station at Kensal Green.
Some train operators are seeking to cut ticket office opening hours to save cash. South West Trains, First Capital Connect (Thameslink) and National Express have all announced plans to reduce ticket office opening hours.
Lord Adonis said a £15billion investment programme for the national rail network over the next five years would result in major improvements to passenger safety and security.
Part of that is a £5.5million scheme to fit 68 new automatic ticket gates and additional ticket machines at 14 stations in south London - one of the highest areas for rail crime. Lord Adonis said: "At first the gates will be staffed when operational but from next year they will be staffed for 15 hours a day.
"This scheme marks the first stages of improvements to station staffing that will be delivered within the new South Central franchise from early 2010."
Anthony Smith, chief executive of Passenger Focus, the rail watchdog, said: "One of the key advantages of installing gates is that they must be supervised and therefore staff are present and visible at the station.
"Passengers tell us that they feel safer when there are staff around and it also means they can ask advice about their journey and easily seek out help."
Gates are planned to be installed at the following stations between March and August: Streatham Common, Peckham Rye, Streatham Hill, Purley, Streatham, Thornton Heath, Norbury, Wallington, Tulse Hill, Gipsy Hill, South Croydon, Carshalton, West Norwood and Battersea Park.
Reader views (20)
I worked briefly for Southern trains, during my probation period after 4pm I was on my own. Not good for employment or for passengers, though someone has to pay for the bonuses accrued by management.
- William, Haywards Heath UK
Don't know about stations, but I know Ministers can be frightening any time of the day!
GERONIMO
- Kenneth Hickford, LONDON
Small stations in this country are a disgrace,once we had station masters who took a pride in them,you would think with all the profits made in railtrack etc and all the unimployment they would take on more staff
- Richard Edmunds, Rayleigh Essex
When I lived in South East London, before they removed all the staff from the least profitable stations, the staff themselves felt so unsafe that they would lock the doors and pretend not to be present after dark, forcing passengers to scoot round the side of the station to enter.
- Vanessa, Amazonas, Peru
If TOCs want to increase the feeling of safety for passengers,then employ more gateline staff with easy access to the BTP.
But, TOCs need to increase recruitment, not make redundancies.
Profits before the passenger. Dividends count here, and the passenger can go hang. (Which maybe the case, or stabbed, or shot, or mugged, or etc).
- Polikid, Kent
Trunk, you mention that there are many places 'unsafe' at night. This is true. However, in many ways any potential improvements train & tube stations aren't even so much to do with staffing as visibility issues. It's a matter of having a station well lit, with few/no objects which impair visibility for passengers waiting for a train. If you look at a lot of tube stations (the ones further out where they become above ground) or train stations you will see a heavy use of concrete. These provide blocks for people to hind behind or congregate. It can be a matter as simple as removing a concrete post and putting in a thinner steel one (for instance). Or platform shelters made out of better materials which provide shelter but are also light (clear heavy duty perspex type stuff).
It's also a matter of having 'safety zones' on platforms. These are the zones which are visible to security cameras or actual operational staff in case of an emergency.
I think staff on platforms is all well and good but at some point they need to look at the more long term issues such as structure, lighting and hidey holes for criminals.
- Sam, Wellington, NZ
I have sent a written complaint to TFL regarding the lack of adequate lighting at Vauxhall station at night - the reply I got was that there had been a power failure that particular evening. I've subsequently passed through the station numerous times at night (Vauxhall is where I need to change from the tube to overland trains when returning by Eurostar) and the lighting is still not sufficient - how long does a power failure last?
- Liesl, Wimbledon, UK
Empty stations after dark were scary places even thirty years ago, when I lived in London. They should be attended by someone (with communications to police) as long as trains are running.
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland
There are many places in the world that are "unsafe" at night. Unless there is armed security or police at the stations, they will always be unsafe in the manner addressed by this story.
- Trunk, US
the safety of travelers must come soon! Why do we have to fight for this, why cant we have staff at all stations at all times, why is it that people who do not use the railway, make the rules? Give me and others like me the chance to have our say, and get things done, we need support when at a station late at night. Even if they are lit people can see you standing there alone and make a bee line for you and taunt you. Help lets have safety first pls. Thanks.
- Carole, london
Still, not to worry eh? If you are a Member of Lords or Commons then just hop in a cab and charge it to 'expenses'.
- David Moon, Seaford, East Sussex, UK
Lord Adonis is right in principle - but let's not start thinking the governbment is actually gouing to do anything sesnible on this matter. Lord Adonis needs to remember who has been in charge for the last few years. His boss has held the purse strings since 1997, and has studiously ignored public feeling on this subject for all that time. Also, why should we take any remarks on transport from Adonis seriously - wasn't he an expert on education last time we looked?
- David, Aylesbury, England
I agree. Investing in public transport would be better for the environment.
Jobs could be created manning stations - how good it would be to have nice toilets and snug waiting-rooms on every station. Bring back bus-conductors, too!
Surely it makes more sense to get young people into worthwhile jobs than to make them stay at school if they don't want to.
- Liz Parkhurst, Barnsley, South Yorkshire
To endorse Mike (Bedford): This is something many have been saying for ages, yet for some reason, Nu Labour & Co., choose to ignore it. Could it be that certain MP's / Lords have a vested interest in putting profit before passenger safety? Until an MP / Lord / major celebrity is a victim of this indifference towards passenger safety, nothing will be done, and whilst the rail managers enjoy their company cars, 1st class travel and other cushions from the real world of commuting, I fear the situation will get worse. CCTV is no good if the thugs are wearing scarves or hoods around their heads, and CCTV certainly won't call an ambulance if someone is seriously injured.
- Joannie, London, England
A few years ago I was returning from overseas and after a lengthy delay I arrived very late into Heathrow. I needed to get back to south east Kent, but the only train I could get went as far as Bromley South. I would then have a 4 hour wait until the first train of the morning. I can honestly say it was one of the most nerve racking, scary nights of my life. The amount of drunk, aggressive and some obviously mentaly disturbed people was freightening. Even the guards and cleaners who I eventualy sort refuge informed me that they only left the platform office as little as possible due to the amount of "crazies" as they called them.
At the time I was 33 and had recently finshed a 12 year engagement with the Parachute Regiment. Give me Iraq or Afghanistan any day!
- Terence Harrington, Canterybury, UK
We are once again being told to pay more and get less. Having to trust in ticket machines at unattended stations to purchase tickets means that the scumbags can hang around and rob at will.
These train companies clearly believe that they have no or very little responsibility for the safety of their customers, they only seem to be concerned about profit.
- Mike Melbourne, Bedford England
How does HE know?
- Thorrun, Brentwood UK
Notice how Lord Adonis' comment (that barriers will be staffed for [only] 15 hours a day) and that attributed to Anthony Smith of Passenger Focus (gates ...must be supervised and therefore staff are present and visible at the station] are contradictory
- Donald Smith, London
Stations are frightening during the day and downright horror show at nights!
- Real, London
Stations are frightening as soon as the rush hour subsides.That's England for you.
- Steve, London
