Network
Rail


has
taken
action
to
improve
London
Euston
station,
where
there
have
been
complaints
of
dangerous
congestion
on
the
ramps
leading
to
the
platforms
after
departures
had
been
announced
almost
at
the
last
minute.

A
trial
of
‘earlier
boarding’
is
being
introduced
on
Avanti
West
Coast
and
London
Northwestern
trains,
so
that
people
will
not
be
in
such
a
hurry.

The
announcement
comes
after
Network
Rail
and
the
Department
for
Transport
had
announced
a
five-point
plan
to
improve
the
situation.
Transport
secretary
Louise
Haigh
intervened
after
protests
from
passengers
and
claims
that
the
overcrowding
was
dangerous.

Around
40
per
cent
of
Avanti
West
Coast
departures
are
now
being
announced
20
minutes
before
departure,
and
the
proportion
will
grow
over
the
coming
weeks,
while
‘continuous
boarding’
of
London
Northwestern
Railway’s
Birmingham
services
was
introduced
on
21
October.
Passengers
are
now
invited
to
platforms
to
await
their
train
as
soon
as
the
previous
service
has
departed.

Network
Rail
West
Coast
South
route
director
Gary
Walsh
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.’

Network
Rail
has
also
convened
its
first
rail
industry
summit
to
give
passenger
user
groups
and
government
an
update
on
progress
with
Euston’s
five-point
improvement
plan.

Louise
Haigh
said:
‘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.’