Crossrail Chaos At Hayes & Harlington

[whole diary]

[CJB666]

This evening - in fact all day Sunday - there was utter chaos at Hayes and Harlington Station (par for the course).

BOTH Platforms 4 and 2 were being used for trains to Paddington - YET NO-ONE KNEW WHICH PLATFORMS THE NEXT TRAINS WERE LEAVING FROM

There was a notice in the upper foyer of the Station stating that passengers should check with the information screen there which platform to use - OK.

BUT THERE WAS NO SUCH WORKING / VISIBLE SCREEN FOR THE NOW MAIN ENTRANCE AT PLATFORM 4 BY TESCOS / STAYCITY

In just one hour on Sunday evening between 16.30 and 17.30 I saw numerous passengers waiting on platform 4 for Paddington, when the Heathrow Connect turned up on platform 2 instead. There was then a mad dash over the connecting foorbridge - but the Connect train did not wait for any one of them.

THIS SITUATION IS UNACCEPTABLE.

Time and time again Network Rail, Great Western, and Crossrail have been contacted about the lack of adequate customer information systems (CIS^▸ (Customer Information System)) at the Station. Now the money has apparently run out to develop the Station so the ruinous state that it was left in 6 months ago remains unchanged, and that includes the useless CIS.

[IndustryInsider]

Utter chaos?  When there was only one Heathrow Connect train departing per hour from platform 2 and the other two trains per hour from platform 4?  An overreaction IMO^▸ (in my opinion).

Certainly agree that adequate signage should have been provided - though in my experience many passengers head for the 'usual' platform regardless and only realise when a train draws in that something is amiss.  Presumably the platform departure screens were showing the next train correctly?  The Connect driver should have waited had they seen anyone running over though, which you would have thought they would.

Can you provide some evidence for the money running out to develop the station?

[John R]

Any post/email etc that uses upper case in it has a very negative effect on me.  My immediate reaction, even before reading the post, is that it is likely to be a bit of a rant, probably unnecessarily so. In this instance I felt the same after I had read the post.   

[eightf48544]

Maybe capitals are wrong but the situation does highlight the problems that the "Railway Industry" still  has in communicating with its passengers.

What about putting announcers in TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about) in Didcot able to announce to all station under their control? It would cut out one link in the chain of TVSC - TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) - Station. Shouldn't be that difficult or expensive. 6 announcers to cover 24/7 at 30000K less than 1/4 million a year. They could look after the CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) as well.

It seems to me to be a Network Rail problem as they route the trains and should know what trains are where and when they might arrive.

[IndustryInsider]

There are already a team of CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) controllers in the control offices at Swindon.  They can make alterations which trigger announcements at all the stations. There certainly used to be a long-line manual announcement system in place for some of the unstaffed stations - not sure if that's still the case.  I suspect the information screens were showing the correct platforms as they had gone into the various systems ok, just the location and number of those screens perhaps insufficient during the rebuilding work, but there's at least one next train indicator on all platforms and two footbridges connecting the two London bound platforms.  Hayes station staff can make local announcements as far as I know, which may have helped yesterday if they'd done so.

[CJB666]

There are already a team of CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) controllers in the control offices at Swindon.  They can make alterations which trigger announcements at all the stations. There certainly used to be a long-line manual announcement system in place for some of the unstaffed stations - not sure if that's still the case.  I suspect the information screens were showing the correct platforms as they had gone into the various systems ok, just the location and number of those screens perhaps insufficient during the rebuilding work, but there's at least one next train indicator on all platforms and two footbridges connecting the two London bound platforms.  Hayes station staff can make local announcements as far as I know, which may have helped yesterday if they'd done so.

* There was no indication on platform4 that anything was unusual.
* There were no station staff to make announcements.
* There were some automated announcements but these were so low they couldn't be heard; apparently the residents of High Point Village Apartments, and StayCity Hotel have complained about the incessant announcements at the Station including arrivals and departures, but also warnings of fast trains approaching, pax. looking after their luggage, the state of T4L services, Overground engineering works, etc., etc.
* The arrival / departure screen opp. the ticket office near Platform 4 hasn't worked in months, the screen has burnt out due to the 'brilliance' being turned up high.
* The only CIS departure display is right at the London end of Platform 4 - there is nothing at the entrance.
* At least one Connect refused to wait for passengers to run over the footbridge to Platform 2.
* There were no notices to state that GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) were using P4 and Connect was using P2.

CJB

[eightf48544]

There are already a team of CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) controllers in the control offices at Swindon. 

Yes but they are reactive and have to rely on getting information from TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about). It's an extra link in the chain, caused by the split control of the rail and wheel

 

[CJB666]

Can you provide some evidence for the money running out to develop the station?

Warnings were given to locals that work would be started again in early September. This never happened. Its now mid-October.

Nothing has been done to the building site that was the site of the old station for over 6 months.

The platforms and extensions have not been worked on for over 6 months.

The entrance to platform 4 is a mess. The CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) system opposite the ticket office there has been unreadable for 6 months.

The island platform for 2 & 3 still has its crappy waiting room etc.

There is still no sign of preparation for a footbridge to platform 1.

There are no signs of any work to install lifts.

There are no signs of any works to create the glass box replacement.

There have been no public meetings for passengers and local residents about the expected works.

All works has stopped. All information about the works has stopped. Not even the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) staff know anything.

====

The money has also run out for the new apartment blocks being built opposite the Station and on the Old Vinyl Factory site. The developers don't even have the cash to keep the red warning lights on at the tops of the three towner cranes - a legal requirement.

====

[ChrisB]

Isn't Crossrail responsible for the Hayes upgrade?

[IndustryInsider]

Can you provide some evidence for the money running out to develop the station?

Warnings were given to locals that work would be started again in early September. This never happened. Its now mid-October.

Nothing has been done to the building site that was the site of the old station for over 6 months.

The platforms and extensions have not been worked on for over 6 months.

The entrance to platform 4 is a mess. The CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) system opposite the ticket office there has been unreadable for 6 months.

The island platform for 2 & 3 still has its crappy waiting room etc.

There is still no sign of preparation for a footbridge to platform 1.

There are no signs of any work to install lifts.

There are no signs of any works to create the glass box replacement.

There have been no public meetings for passengers and local residents about the expected works.

All works has stopped. All information about the works has stopped. Not even the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) staff know anything.

====

The money has also run out for the new apartment blocks being built opposite the Station and on the Old Vinyl Factory site. The developers don't even have the cash to keep the red warning lights on at the tops of the three towner cranes - a legal requirement.

====

Given that Crossrail are indeed responsible for the station rebuild, and that (as far as I know) money for Crossrail hasn't run out, I would suspect it's more likely a delay due to construction issues/consents etc.  If work was only due to recommence last month, that's hardly a significant delay on a project that was always going to take at least two years and was originally estimated for completion in just under a year from now - if it takes longer, it takes longer.  I'm sure there will be issues with some locations on the massive upgrade plan which is ongoing.  Platform extension work is also something that doesn't have to be completed until Crossrail starts running its 9-car trains in 2019.

I can't see the developers at a site opposite running out of cash as being at all relevant?

[Gordon the Blue Engine]

This topic began with the perfectly reasonable point (however expressed) that it is not acceptable for passengers at H & H to be missing their train because of inadequate information about platforming.  Whatever should have happened to inform passengers clearly didn’t happen.  Passengers went to P4 for a train that turned up on P2 because they didn’t see or hear anything to say they should do otherwise. 

H & H is a busy station and someone from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) should be responsible for making sure that passengers have the information they need to make sure they are on the right platform, particularly at weekends etc when trains may be running on different lines from usual.

[grahame]

All information about the works has stopped.

Lack of information festers ... and gives rise to rumours and speculation ...

I was concerned with a major non-rail (Council Linked) major development three or four years ago, and keeping the public who were going to be users of the new development informed was a part of our work.   I recall at one point listing a dozen separate channels through which information was disseminated, each of which needed updating from time to time, yet we still got complaints about "no-one tells us [public] anything".     Sadly, the particular project having got through planning had its ringfenced budget raided (by dropping another project inside the fence!) and the council restructured the team to go forward "now that the community work's done" ... and we're festering with minimal information with that what we're told giving rise to more concern.

It can be difficult to keep everyone informed, even if it's the best of intents.   It can be difficult for organisations which are getting on with a job to remember that's it worth telling the customer.   And it can be difficult to avoid the temptation to be "secret squirrel", simply because opening up the door on what's going on and letting a tiny chink of light shine out leads to many demands for further information which eats up time and resource in providing answers.    I am NOT condoning keeping things quite, but I can understand the temptation.

Please - if anyone has any links (or anything they can quote or email) that might be a useful update on Ayes and Arlington, please posts here or send the data (email or p.m.) to someone who can post it here.

[chrisr_75]

All information about the works has stopped.

I can only recommend that the OP^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter) has a try with that new fangled thing called 'Google' rather than going on an uninformed rant. Use the search term 'Hayes and Harlington station redevelopment', the first result reveals quite a lot of information.

An update was issued on 16th August and described the work which has been in progress during September and October - it has mostly been ground work (e.g. excavating & installing ducting), hence why the OP hasn't seen the glass box station magically pop up. There's also an option to sign up for email updates and some contact details if you have any questions.

Amazing what one can find if one puts a little effort into a task. It's too easy to get all shouty with capitals on an internet forum 

[grahame]

[snip]

Please - if anyone has any links (or anything they can quote or email) that might be a useful update on Ayes and Arlington, please posts here or send the data (email or p.m.) to someone who can post it here.

An update was issued on 16th August and described the work which has been in progress during September and October - it has mostly been ground work (e.g. excavating & installing ducting), hence why the OP^▸ (Original Poster / topic starter) hasn't seen the glass box station magically pop up. There's also an option to sign up for email updates and some contact details if you have any questions.

Thanks, Chrisr_75 ... good to see our forum acting as a switchboard for information again!

[ChrisB]

Isn't Crossrail responsible for the Hayes upgrade?

And I bet their website was the location of this information?