Ealing Broadway - station facilities, access issues and many sad incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[grahame]

See blog at http://ihatefirstgreatwestern.blogspot.com/2008/07/not-very-app-ealing.html

"Bumping" a topic ... in my restoring of old databases, I came across this blog still online

Isn't Ealing Broadway station horrible? Specially late at night. No, actually, let me rephrase that. Aren't the drunk people at Ealing Broadway station horrible?

Last night, after a late shift, I arrived on the tube to get my train to Slough just as the one I was hoping to catch was pulling away, so had to wait half an hour for the next one. This gave me plenty of time to think about station improvements, most noticeably that the dark and grubby nature of the platform I was standing on seemed to give the drunk people the idea that it was okay to gob on the floor, or generally be unpleasant and intimidating. I would like to see a bit more lighting and a bit more seating, perhaps a few more benches further down the platform for those who don't want to sit amongst the beered-up people who always want to talk to you for some reason, no matter how close to your face you put your book.

There are times when I think I'd really like not to have to deal with people at all, especially drunk ones. The way they fill the train with litter and unmentionable stains must rile the poor cleaning staff who have to deal with it. It certainly riles me and I don't have to pick it up or wipe it up - eugh. Perhaps FGW^▸ (First Great Western) should initiate a "night-status" carriage, which is entirely covered in the kind of plastic that sofas are wrapped in. Much easier to clean, and drunk people don't care where and what they sit on.

Me, I'll bring a cushion. And a larger book.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Cough, splutter! 

Well done for finding that one, grahame - it must be amongst the earliest posts I made on the Coffee Shop forum - some nine years ago. 

It's interesting to see how things have progressed though, isn't it? 

CfN. 

[Ollie]

It's interesting to see how things have progressed though, isn't it? 

Can't say in regard to the person who had this blog though, as unless there's an alternative link they've not done a blog post since July 18th 2008.

[TaplowGreen]

Thoughts with all affected;

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Slough


Due to a person being hit by a train between London Paddington and Slough all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 10:00 29/12.

[Jason]

This happened around 07:20
From what I can see Paddington bound services are being held at Reading.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Slough


Due to a person being hit by a train between London Paddington and Slough all lines are blocked.
Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until 10:00 29/12.

[bobm]

Person reported to have survived and being treated by paramedics.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Female reported to have jumped onto track in front of train and suffered facial injuries.

[TaplowGreen]

Female reported to have jumped onto track in front of train and suffered facial injuries.

Sounds like a miraculous escape.

[CJB666]

One of the main campaigners in our area sent me this report after reading of the chaos at Hayes & Harlington yesterday. My additions in [].

<Quote>
"As it happens, yesterday I went to a meeting, on another matter, with the Transport Minister at the Department for Transport. I used Hayes and Harlington station at lunchtime.  It was no picnic but there was power.

"On the return [in the rush hour], I got off the tube at Ealing Broadway and headed up the stairs at the ticket barrier end to get to the train on platform 3 to Hayes and Harlington only to be told to go all the way back down the stairs and then walk along the length of the platform [4] to the [new] bridge at the other end of the platform (2 steep flights of stairs) and then walk all the way back to the ticket barrier end of the platform.

"There was a young man on the platform with a loud speaker telling people something about platforms but it was very hard to understand, hence we walked up the stairs. There were no visible signs, just lots of men in blue hi-viz blocking the walkway to platform 3. The lady with me had difficulty walking so they let us through (I didn’t mention the strapping on my own problem ankle). We missed a train, as did all those doing the mammoth walk.  It was only after a conversation with a rather shy young man in hi-viz on platform 3 that we discovered that this farce is standard procedure during rush hour every day. (It was just after 5pm.)

"While I understand that the intention was to prevent a surge of people coming onto the platform [3] at a point where the platform was narrowed by building works, there must be a better solution and certainly better signage and explanation. There also seemed to be no thought given to those passengers with mobility issues, such as the elderly.

"We [also] decided to travel beyond Hayes and Harlington and get the bus home from West Drayton.

"I am just grateful that I don’t have a daily commute.

"Regards [XXXX]"
</Quote>

[RichardB]

I use Ealing Broadway a fair bit and very much sympathise with the original poster.  I can't see that there is any alternative to what is happening in the evening peak - the main footbridge is so relatively small for the sheer numbers using the station and that works-restricted area on platform 3 is positively tiny. 

Looking at the Crossrail website, I see it'll be another eighteen months before the full works at Ealing Broadway are completed but, when they are, it'll be great.  It'll be very good to see step free access to the platforms - there's not even step free access to the booking hall and gateline at the moment, of course.

http://www.crossrail.co.uk/route/western-section/ealing-broadway-station

[Chris from Nailsea]

The topic heading now says it all, really.  I found there were so many different topics relating to Ealing Broadway specifically (while I was searching for just one particular post), that I've merged them all here - in the interests of continuity and clarity, as ever.

CfN