London's 'most hated' Euston station to get £50m upgrade with end to 'last minute' platform announcements
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says that last-minute passenger platform announcements will be phased out
London's "most hated" Euston railway station is getting £50 million in upgrades, with last-minute platform announcements set to be phased out from next year.
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Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander also confirmed that Avanti West Coast, which provides the central London hub with services to Birmingham and Glasgow, will be nationalised under public ownership from March.
She said that the £50m will be spent over the next three years to improve the central London station, which has become infamous for its last-minute "scrums" caused by last-minute platform announcements.
Ms Alexander pledged action, with Euston station having become a talking point in the lead-up to the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, which Labour is hoping to hold onto after Sir Keir Starmer's resignation.
Here is what we know about the plans.
Read also: Train drivers threaten strike over 'shocking and disgusting conditions'
What are the problems with Euston?
Euston is one of London's busiest stations, with West Coast Mainline services to Birmingham and Glasgow, and will also be the capital's hub when the High Speed 2 service finally commences.
But the station has come under criticism from Londoners, who have called it the most hated in the capital for its last-minute platform announcements, overcrowding, lack of information on screens, and outdated infrastructure.
London TravelWatch, a watchdog, said in a report that passengers are being put "in danger" by "high levels of overcrowding".
Network Rail has additionally been criticised for converting the main departure board in Euston's concourse into a large advertising screen.
One passenger tweeted: "Euston is easily the worst station in London. Why is the massive screen just for adverts?? I just want to know what platform my train is going from."
Labour candidate for the Holborn and St Pancras by-election, Sagal Abdi-Wali, said: "Passengers have struggled with unreliable services and a scrum at Euston when waiting for their train.
“I’m delighted that the Labour government has called time on this and put services back where they belong – in public hands.”
How is Euston going to be upgraded?
The government has said that £50m will be invested at Euston station over the next three years, with:
- £11 million will initially go towards creating more seating, better waiting areas and refurbished toilets and within the next year,
- A further £10 million will be invested in other stations on the West Coast mainline to improve comfort and cleanliness before the end of 2027
In addition, passengers will also be able to access their train further in advance of departure to streamline boarding, which will be welcomed by passengers who have experienced a rush.
Further details are understood to be in the process of being decided, and the government has not replied in the affirmative to an LBC question over whether Euston's former arch design could be restored.