Waterloo Station's Eurostar platforms cost ^4 million

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

It has cost ^4.1m to mothball Waterloo Station's international platforms over the past three years, new figures show.

The Eurostar terminals at the south London station closed in 2007 as high-speed rail services to the continent moved to St Pancras.

It had been hoped they could be used by commuter services but this has not happened.

The Department for Transport said it was committed to using the platforms for domestic use.

The figures had been obtained by the Liberal Democrat group on the London Assembly via a freedom of information request. They show only ^60,000 has been raised by charging for filming and theatre productions.

Liberal Democrat London Assembly member Caroline Pidgeon said: "It's absolutely appalling that when commuters are suffering with over-crowded trains and over-crowded platforms, they look over and see ^4m being spent leaving these platforms empty. Government ministers have got to stop this waste of public money."

BRB^‡(resolve) (Residuary) Ltd which is looking after the platforms is to be scrapped by the government.

BBC London's transport correspondent Tom Edwards said the responsibility might now fall to Network Rail.

Rail Minister Theresa Villiers said: "The government is committed to bringing the former international platforms at Waterloo into domestic use and therefore it is vital that the facility is kept safe, secure and serviceable. We expect to make an announcement on the future of Waterloo in due course."

[paul7575]

Yawn.

It must be obvious even to a GLA member that without any DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) commitment to new trains, there's no need for extra platforms.  Once a positive decision is made, NR^» (Network Rail - home page) have plans to make the platforms available. 

P20 was converted, but clearly isn't needed yet, or else SWT^▸ (South West Trains) would be using it.

She's got form on this, trots out exactly the same questions every few months...   

Paul

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) call for disused Waterloo station to be reopened

Six MPs have called for the five former Eurostar platforms at Waterloo station in south London to be reopened.

A Commons motion signed by the Liberal Democrat MPs said mothballing the platforms has cost the taxpayer ^4m since the station closed in 2007.

Theatre productions and film companies have used the venue, but that generated ^61,852, the motion backed by Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes said.

The station closed in 2007 after Eurostar services moved to St Pancras.

The motion led by Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, was backed by MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey Simon Hughes; Martin Horwood, MP for Cheltenham; Manchester Withington MP John Leech, MP for Wells Tessa Munt and Duncan Hames, MP for Chippenham.

The MPs said in the motion : "The total cost of keeping the five disused ex-Eurostar platforms at Waterloo International station closed so far has been revealed as exceeding more than ^4m of taxpayers' money.

"Numerous filming and other events at the empty platforms, such as the recent Railway Children production, have generated just a mere ^61,852 over the same period," it added.

The MPs asked the government to "ensure these huge platforms are put back into domestic use as quickly as possible" to help commuters who "face overcrowding on platforms and trains despite being confronted with five empty train platforms".

[Electric train]

Just as well those erstwhile MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s don't know about the little maintenance depot in West London busy growing weeds and providing a roosting place for pigeons all at tax payers expense

[Brucey]

All well and good re-opening the platforms, but do we have any trains to put at those platforms?  Probably not.

[Toiletdriver]

Just as well those erstwhile MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s don't know about the little maintenance depot in West London busy growing weeds and providing a roosting place for pigeons all at tax payers expense

And fully lit all night!!!

[Electric train]

Just as well those erstwhile MP^▸ (Member of Parliament)'s don't know about the little maintenance depot in West London busy growing weeds and providing a roosting place for pigeons all at tax payers expense

Just as well those erstwhile MP's don't know about the little maintenance depot in West London busy growing weeds and providing a roosting place for pigeons all at tax payers expense

And fully lit all night!!!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhsh don't tell everyone 

[paul7575]

All well and good re-opening the platforms, but do we have any trains to put at those platforms?  Probably not.

Definitely not.

If these MPs^▸ (Member of Parliament) researched the subject at all, they'd quickly discover that to increase the length of all SWT^▸ (South West Trains)'s peak trains to the maximum size the current platforms can cope with requires about 90 additional EMU^▸ (Electric Multiple Unit) vehicles. (ie to run all 8.450s as 12s, 5.444s as 10s etc etc.)

Paul

[grahame]

16 years ago today since the Eurostar platforms at Waterloo closed!

[Mark A]

And a looong time and major rebuilding to bring them back into use for domestic services (and despite the rebuilding, a bit of a hike to the platforms)

Mark

[RichardB]

It's looking good at that end of the station now.  We now have a very 21st Century Windsor Side and the lower concourse is already looking good and will be better when more businesses join the ones already there.  Putting the station toilets in that lower concourse was a good move because it gets more people down there.  I've no idea if the plan is to reopen the former ones after refurbishment too.

Towards that end of the station, I was very pleased to see Foyles reopen in the old Travel Centre a couple of months ago.

[Surrey 455]

It's looking good at that end of the station now.  We now have a very 21st Century Windsor Side and the lower concourse is already looking good and will be better when more businesses join the ones already there.  Putting the station toilets in that lower concourse was a good move because it gets more people down there.  I've no idea if the plan is to reopen the former ones after refurbishment too.

My understanding was that the refurbished toilets would re-open in Autumn 2023, then I read somewhere (on a hoarding on the Waterloo Cab road I think) it was going to be Summer / Autumn 2024. I can't find any predicted date on line.

I am mostly happy with the temporary toilets in the bike racks because they are a lot closer to Platform 1 & 2 (where I normally get my train) than the old one. The downside with the temporary toilets is the cubicles are very, very cramped. It's difficult to squeeze in and close the door.

It would be nice if there were permanent toilet facilities at both ends of the station. Doesn't Paddington have toilets on Platforms 1 & 12?

[RichardB]

It's looking good at that end of the station now.  We now have a very 21st Century Windsor Side and the lower concourse is already looking good and will be better when more businesses join the ones already there.  Putting the station toilets in that lower concourse was a good move because it gets more people down there.  I've no idea if the plan is to reopen the former ones after refurbishment too.

My understanding was that the refurbished toilets would re-open in Autumn 2023, then I read somewhere (on a hoarding on the Waterloo Cab road I think) it was going to be Summer / Autumn 2024. I can't find any predicted date on line.

I am mostly happy with the temporary toilets in the bike racks because they are a lot closer to Platform 1 & 2 (where I normally get my train) than the old one. The downside with the temporary toilets is the cubicles are very, very cramped. It's difficult to squeeze in and close the door.

It would be nice if there were permanent toilet facilities at both ends of the station. Doesn't Paddington have toilets on Platforms 1 & 12?

Yes, Paddington does have toilets at both ends of the station and, of course, so did Waterloo until the Gents at the Main Suburban end (Platforms 1 - 4) were turned into a bar.  I agree it would be good if permanent toilets were returned to that end of the station.

[grahame]

16 years ago today since the Eurostar platforms at Waterloo closed!

And 29 years that since they *opened* - for their short (13 year) life.