Preston Railway Station Branded As Outdated And Inadequate

[156443]

Preston’s railway station has been slammed as dated, deteriorating, inadequate and in need of urgent investment.

A critical new report, to be considered next week, argues the Grade II listed station must be transformed to meet 21st century needs and get it ready for high-speed rail.

The report for the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s (LEP) Transport for Lancashire committee lists a catalogue of access and safety issues for passengers and says the station building “lacks presence” and gives a poor first impression of the city.

Rail bosses have defended the station as “historic” and say £2m has recently been spent on improving the facilities.

https://www.lep.co.uk/news/preston-railway-station-branded-as-outdated-and-inadequate-1-8941249/amp

 

[Agent_Squash]

The new entrance isn't too good either...

 

[Bletchleyite]

The new entrance isn't too good either...

It is totally pointless - the small Fishergate Centre entrance onto the footbridge always was and remains the de facto main entrance.

As for the station the retail etc is a bit basic.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's the best station on the northern WCML - better than Crewe or Carlisle.
But it is very busy and the outer platforms (P1/2, P5/6) are narrow, deficient and shabby, with poor access via the narrow footbridge and steps.
Like all WCML stations outside the select few (MKC, Rugby, Piccadilly), it missed out on WCRM with the infrastructure and slow approaches untouched.
NR and Virgin have tarted the place up a bit recently, but to a tiny budget.
Meanwhile the large western (postal) island remains unused by the public and could be upgraded to expand the facilities considerably.
I can't speak for the car parking facilities, not being a resident, but isn't the car park relatively new and spacious?
It will have to be altered considerably to accommodate 400m HS2 trains, probably with a southern extension of the central island.

 

[Mollman]

The best way to improve the platform area is to widen the 5/6 island to reach the P7 line (fence the old P7 off with glass panels). This should support a wide stairway and perhaps a small covered waiting area as well as allow for southward extension of the platforms. The main island 3/4 can only be extended south by taking the lightly used bays out of action, this can be compensated by widening 1/2 island towards the freight lines, except for a 3 car length at the south end. This should also reduce the conflicts caused by terminating the Ormskirk service at Preston as it will no longer have to cross the up slow and down fast.

The new entrance is functional but externally hideous. There is still the issue of the narrow footbridge from the popular Fishergate Centre entrance along. The main entrance really needs to have a second set of doors from outside as the current set can get quite congested, especially with inconsiderate groups of people trying to barge through or deciding to stand in the doorway to wait for their mate.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

And of course golden opportunities were missed when the Fishergate Centre etc was built. The bus station should have been built there so there would have been a great interchange. Instead we have that joke/eyesore/Grade 2 listed (give me a break!!!) monstrosity at the opposite end of the town - piecemeal planning at its worst.

 

[class17]

The best way to improve the platform area is to widen the 5/6 island to reach the P7 line (fence the old P7 off with glass panels). This should support a wide stairway and perhaps a small covered waiting area as well as allow for southward extension of the platforms. The main island 3/4 can only be extended south by taking the lightly used bays out of action, this can be compensated by widening 1/2 island towards the freight lines, except for a 3 car length at the south end. This should also reduce the conflicts caused by terminating the Ormskirk service at Preston as it will no longer have to cross the up slow and down fast.

The new entrance is functional but externally hideous. There is still the issue of the narrow footbridge from the popular Fishergate Centre entrance along. The main entrance really needs to have a second set of doors from outside as the current set can get quite congested, especially with inconsiderate groups of people trying to barge through or deciding to stand in the doorway to wait for their mate.

Exactly. Just extend the southern end of platform 1 west over the relief lines. This additional platform space could improve the access from the footbridge, lift and or ramp etc. The circulation area at the foot of the stairs was always busy when I used to commute to Preston. I always used to think that extending the platform over the little used tracks would improve things. As platform 1&2 are reasonable long platforms, a bay is created at the north end, on existing platform 1. It being in the middle of the up and down slows can easily accommodate terminating trains from the south that arrive on the slow lines.

I also wondered if the two footbridges 1&2 to 3&4 and 3&4 to the Fishergate centre could be connected to create a level exit from P1&2.

 

[Kendalian]

Suspect it's probably the busiest VTWC station not to have a first class lounge

 

[Bletchleyite]

Is the station listed? If not, given the Fishergate Centre entrance is the most convenient for most people, could the bridge and ramp be replaced with some kind of Reading-esque mezzanine?

 

[Chrism20]

And of course golden opportunities were missed when the Fishergate Centre etc was built. The bus station should have been built there so there would have been a great interchange. Instead we have that joke/eyesore/Grade 2 listed (give me a break!!!) monstrosity at the opposite end of the town - piecemeal planning at its worst.

Completely agree, one massive missed opportunity.

I had the delight of staying at the Holiday Inn in Preston adjacent to the grade two listed monstrosity at the start of December and the full area feels unsafe.

With the numbers that use Preston a mezzanine level with retail etc and escalators leading down onto the platforms would be a great idea.

 

[roversfan2001]

And of course, the layout of the station as it is means it is near enough impossible to install ticket gates; meaning there are manual checks on the bridge onto P1/2, and a temporary barrier is sometimes set up on the ramp down to P3/4.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

As for the station the retail etc is a bit basic.

It doesn't do too badly these days I think - the relatively new (West?) Cornish Pasty Stand and Starbucks, added to the pub, Smiths, Upper Crust and Pumpkin offer a fairly decent return given the awkward passenger layout. Couple that with the amenities in the Fishergate Centre and there's not much else you could hope for.

Something needs to be done with the 1/2 and 5/6 islands though, both are awful to wait on and the narrow width is unsuited for the large flows they handle, especially when the VT services use 6 and everyone in Western civilisation descends onto 1 for Blackpool in high summer. If removing the Up & Down Goods Loop doesn't have an adverse impact on operations, then I would back calls to extend 5/6 over the existing formation and effectively combine platform 6 and 7. I would also probably back something that moves the booking hall and main concourse to the northeastern edge of the station, getting rid of the awkward three entrance system at present and allowing for ticket gating.

 

[PR1Berske]

Preston is my "home" station, and I could fill the forum with my opinions about its state and how it could be improved.

We've been here before, of course. Some time ago Preston was identified as being particularly lacking as a "mainline" station. Talk was had, hard-spined documents were published, platforms were earmarked for alterations. All told, the words didn't make much action.

Improvements have been made. Not many and not all perfect. The subway looks better. The pasty store is brilliant. I'm happy to see we'd can charge our phones and tablets (though please, members of the public, remember to switch off once you've finished!)

Ticket checks are always going to be a problem with the current layout. Half way down the ramp, currently the place where Virgin staff set up checks, can't get all the passengers using the station. As has been noticed many times, there are maybe too many entrances at Preston to completely dear fare evasion.

I defend Preston every time. It deserves defending. Though I'm not blinkered.

P1/2 are too narrow. Passengers use stairs to enter and exit when the subway could be better utilised. "Teaching" passengers to not instinctively turn right up the stairs from a train on 2 will take time. It may never be successful. Getting a natural "flow" and reducing clutter would make P1/2 a better experience.

The new "Beer House" is awful. Generic Marston's rubbish at inflated prices. Opportunity missed.

I love our waiting room. Warm, historic, large. Seats need repairing but, hey, it's good. Better than Wigan NW next stop down, for certain.

HS2 is irrelevant.

P7 is an odd one. Does it have any future as a passenger platform? It's very narrow. Stairs onto 5/6 and 7 are dated, steep, narrow. Not good on busy days. Improvements are limited by space and cost.

 

[Bletchleyite]

People use the bridge because they are mostly going out that way! Why would anyone use the subway and walk further?

 

[PR1Berske]

People use the bridge because they are mostly going out that way! Why would anyone use the subway and walk further?

Well yes, but there exists a "surge" issue where passengers going to and from P1/2 meet in a clump squashed between the stairs and Pumpkin with hunking great pillars in the way. The subways could relieve some of the stairwell pressure.

 

[yorksrob]

Why do they always have a go at Preston ?

It's always been one of the nicer ones on the WCML.

 

[roversfan2001]

People use the bridge because they are mostly going out that way! Why would anyone use the subway and walk further?

If you're at the back of a train arriving on P1/2 and heading to the Fishergate Centre (or the town centre), there's not much in it between going over the bridge or under the subway.

 

[Flying Claret]

Any chance of perminantly utilising the RES platforms for passenger services? I remember catching a pendilino from there about 12 years ago. Unless I dreamt it.

 

[PR1Berske]

Why do they always have a go at Preston ?

It's always been one of the nicer ones on the WCML.

I agree!

Warrington BQ is a drafty old experience even on summer days.
Wigan NW is functional and bland
Lancaster is gorgeous but dreary

What Preston needs, and I expand this to the city as much as the station, is TLC.

 

[30907]

It is totally pointless - the small Fishergate Centre entrance onto the footbridge always was and remains the de facto main entrance.

But a ticket facility adjacent to the large (and expensive) car park is a sensible idea.

 

[yorksrob]

I agree!

Warrington BQ is a drafty old experience even on summer days.
Wigan NW is functional and bland
Lancaster is gorgeous but dreary

What Preston needs, and I expand this to the city as much as the station, is TLC.

Oh, I love Lancaster - nothing dreary about it, with the castle in the background.

The trainshed at Preston always looks quite well kept and all it needs is a good ale bar.

 

[a_c_skinner]

Preston seems OK to me, I've certainly used worse. Has anyone mentioned the old parcels platform if we need more space? Some buildings on there too that are in keeping with the rest of the station. (I'll put the crayons away now.)

 

[Elecman]

There are plans to bring the Old RES platform into passenger use but the subway will need a lot of tarting Up, the only real problem is the Network Rail depot on the platform and behind it off Christian Road, also all deliveries for the station retail outlets and Virgin/ TPE are brought in through the NR depot and the platforms so conflicting with any passengervflows there unless fully fenced off down the edge of North Union House

 

[Flying Claret]

There are plans to bring the Old RES platform into passenger use but the subway will need a lot of tarting Up, the only real problem is the Network Rail depot on the platform and behind it off Christian Road, also all deliveries for the station retail outlets and Virgin/ TPE are brought in through the NR depot and the platforms so conflicting with any passengervflows there unless fully fenced off down the edge of North Union House

How many potential platforms are there on that side if the station?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Why do they always have a go at Preston ?

It's always been one of the nicer ones on the WCML.

I like it as a building but the facilities are a bit poor.

 

[Andrew1395]

I worked at Preston more than 30 years ago. The old PCD platforms are surely a great opportunity to provide new passenger facilities. Probably wrong but memory makes me think there were two subways. I am certain it's a listed building, there were plans to demolish and rebuild as part of WCML electrification.

 

[furnessvale]

How many potential platforms are there on that side if the station?

The old RES platform used to be passenger platform 2 and was on an island with platform 1 as the other face on the west side. There were then 2 further freight through lines to the west of that island.

How many potential platforms are there on that side if the station?

The old RES platform used to be passenger platform 2 and was on an island with platform 1 as the other face on the west side. There were then 2 further freight through lines to the west of that island.

I do not know what building work has encroached on old formations, but in theory there are four potential additional through lines available to the west of the existing platform 1.

 

[Sheepy1209]

...Probably wrong but memory makes me think there were two subways.....

There's the main subway accessed by ramps (and steps to P1/2) - I know that continues to the 'RES' platform as I used it once when there was storm damage.
The lifts are connected to each other by a completely separate subway, which is much quieter because there's no other access to the public as far as I know - it's quite an eerie place, all bare brick and arches.

 

[route101]

Any chance of perminantly utilising the RES platforms for passenger services? I remember catching a pendilino from there about 12 years ago. Unless I dreamt it.

Really > not seen them platforms in use.

 

[Elecman]

There is a largish modular building beyond the 3 existing southern end sidings and the whole site has been built on where the old Red Star offices were at the northern end of Christian road. No5 sure if the old platform 1 was a through platform as the remaining platform faces are not in alignment and offset by about 300mm.