Early boarding introduced at London Euston
Passengers departing from London Euston will now be able to board their trains sooner, in hopes of reducing instances of the so-called 'Euston rush'.
The move is one in a series of interventions to tackle overcrowding at the London terminus after concerns were raised by London TravelWatch. Earlier this month the large advertising displays overlooking the concourse were switched off.
In 2023, Network Rail was issued with an improvement notice for the station by the Office of Rail and Road. However, it did not seem as though there was much urgency to resolve the matter, until Louise Haigh, the Transport Secretary, stepped in.
Passengers will now be able to board around 40% of Avanti West Coast services up to 20 minutes before departure. This figure will increase to over 50% of services as the festive season approaches.
Continuous boarding of London Northwestern Railway services has also been introduced. Passengers will be able to wait on the platform as soon as the preceding service has departed.
Both changes should mean that there is a lesser concentration of passengers on the concourse, which was especially problematic during times of disruption.
London Euston is the 10th busiest railway station in Great Britain, with over 30 million entries and exits between April 2022 and March 2023. It connects travellers with destinations such as Manchester, Liverpool, and Glasgow along the West Coast Main Line.
"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."
Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP, Secretary of State for Transport
That plan consists of five points:
- Reviewing passenger information provision and circulation, including a shutdown and review of the use of overhead advertising boards.
- A review on how passengers are invited to, and board services, especially during disruption.
- Creating more concourse space and alleviating pinch-points, which will include more, and upgraded, toilet provision.
- Unifying station operation during disruption to ensure a holistic approach is taken for the benefit of all passengers.
- Driving up the reliability of both the infrastructure and train services to reduce disruptive events being experienced at the station.
The first summit addressing the required changes was convened by Network Rail on Monday (28 October 2024).
