Network Rail and its partners, Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway, are introducing a trial of earlier boarding for trains departing from Euston Station. This initiative aims to improve the passenger experience and reduce the notorious "Euston rush."
This move follows the recent announcement of a five-point plan to enhance the station's overall performance, as directed by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.
From this week:
- Around 40% of Avanti West Coast services will be boarded 20 minutes before departure, with more services being added in the weeks ahead to the majority of services (around 55%) in the run-up to Christmas.
- ‘Continuous boarding’ of London Northwestern Railway's Birmingham services introduced from 21 October is also here to stay where passengers are invited onto platforms to await their service as soon as the preceding service has departed.
The speeding up of passenger boarding and improved flows through the station have been made possible by the collaboration between Network Rail and the train operating companies to simplify cross-industry operational processes.
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.”
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh, said: “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.”
Cheryl Fox, interim customer experience director at Avanti West Coast, said: “We know the travelling experience for our customers at Euston has fallen below the standards they should rightly expect. This is why we welcome any steps to make improvements. We will continue to work alongside Network Rail as well as our partners on this trial and other measures, with the aim of making journeys at the station more comfortable for those travelling on the West Coast main line.”
Jonny Wiseman, customer experience director for London Northwestern Railway, said: “We are pleased to be working together with Network Rail and other train operators to improve the travelling experience for our customers at Euston. We’ll be monitoring the impact of these changes closely as we continue working with partners to make the process of boarding trains smoother across the station.”
The future of the advertising board is still uncertain. However, rail industry partners are considering repurposing it for passenger information. Other potential improvements include consolidating information desks, expanding waiting areas, and reviewing station signage.
Photo credit: Network Rail
