7griffinjack
Member
anybody know if there’s a particular reason for them creating 2 entrances - one at either side instead of 1 big entrance in the middle which would be directly opposite the pedestrian crossing?
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Leeds Station Improvement
- Thread starter Leedslad_
- Start date
anybody know if there’s a particular reason for them creating 2 entrances - one at either side instead of 1 big entrance in the middle which would be directly opposite the pedestrian crossing?
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R
RailUK Forums
From a road safety point of view, you’d normally not want an entrance letting people out straight onto the road crossing as they’re likely to continue straight over without looking. Whereas if they’ve had to walk in a particular direction to get to the crossing they may be more aware.
Similarly I suspect two small entrances will be better for crowd control than one large one and gives the option of closing one to restrict flow or treating them as in or out entrances for events.
In theory (according to the plans put forward) there is supposed to be rows of seating starting at the large glass expanse (with the doors on either side) and the rows going from the glass down towards the new central information point.
This would mean people are not sitting directly in line with the gates but whether that's still the plan I'm not sure.
This would mean people are not sitting directly in line with the gates but whether that's still the plan I'm not sure.
Bantamzen
Established Member
Because the vast majority of people approach the station from City Square, or Boar Lane meaning they don't use the crossing.
ASharpe
Member
And those of us who do don't concern ourselves much with the traffic it's only buses you need to watch out for. Given pedestrian flow is much higher than traffic flow I don't know why it's a puffin crossing - shared space or perhaps a zebra crossing would be better.
Shared spaces should be outlawed altogether, try using one if you are blind or have low vision, terrible idea. At least zebras have some reference points... different lighting, tactile paving, high contrast road markings etc.
I noticed the waiting shelter on P16 has vanished, the official excuse is probably to ease up congestion on the platform slightly but I suspect the real reason is Network Rail couldn’t be bothered to fix the faulty automatic door on it that had an out of order sign on it for over a year! 
thejuggler
Member
- Joined
- 8 Jan 2016
- Messages
- 1,186
I noticed the waiting shelter on P16 has vanished, the official excuse is probably to ease up congestion on the platform slightly but I suspect the real reason is Network Rail couldn’t be bothered to fix the faulty automatic door on it that had an out of order sign on it for over a year!
Or they didn't fix it because they knew it was going. Getting rid is a good move. During busy periods they prevent passengers moving along platforms.
rich-leeds
Member
- Joined
- 26 Jan 2017
- Messages
- 63
Anyone with any experience of the evening peak hour conditions on Platform 16 at Leeds will agree that it is better gone. What shocks me is the amount of time it took to remove it.
I don't know. It always seemed to be well used most of the time, and while I generally try to avoid 16 on my way to 17 during the evening peak (by using the lift) I can't say as I've observed anything particularly dangerous on 16.
Dr Hoo
Established Member
Funny that you should say that. I happened to be on P16 around lunchtime when two girls were sitting eating their sandwiches as they awaited their train. They were then 'attacked' by a hungry pigeon and jumped up to escape its attentions. They were totally spooked as it waddled across the platform, forcing them closer and closer to the edge as a class 68 approached on a Liverpool service. They were completely oblivious and I had to shout to get their attention and frantically advised them to stand clear.
Enclosed shelters have important safety benefits that shouldn't be ignored. (Unfortunately at Sheffield the pigeons all know how to flutter around in the 'magic eye' field of view to access or egress the waiting rooms at will.)
Was this while the platform building was still there ? Because as far as I could see the platform width between the building (as was) and the platform edge was no greater than the width of any other main line platform.
Dr Hoo
Established Member
The story was from my experience today. It was intended to demonstrate a benefit of enclosed waiting rooms in a general sense.
Yes, it would keep the pigeons off for starters.
It does get uncomfortably busy between 4-5 and even more so if services are cancelled or delayed, the platform just keeps filing up. It's been so busy this week that on two occasions I haven't been able to get on the 16.45 as it has been crush loaded.
wellhouse
Member
The 1645 currently suffers from overcrowding owing to the cancellation of the 1630.
Once the majority of TPE services are 5/6 car, the waiting passengers can be expected to thin out along 16a and 16b. It does get chilly on a winter's evening in Leeds, and TPE passengers do deserve the option of a shelter, which, as reported above, has been well used in the past.
Allwinter_Kit
Member
- Joined
- 12 Jul 2017
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- 147
Same in the morning. The 0730 is on long term sick leave meaning that everyone who arrives in the 25 minutes before the 0745 is crammed onto a 3 car 185 - although we did get a 6 car the other day as a pleasant (although still very full!) change.
2 5/6 cars trains in that period will be lovely - for about 2 months before all that spare capacity is used up!
I've started to get the 07:15 and wait 40 minutes at Piccadilly for my next train - the 07:30 to Victoria would have worked great but alas that has all but gone from the timetable for now. I can't rely on getting on the 07:45, let alone getting a seat.
They also provide some protection from the weather. Since the recent "opening up" the concourse is now as cold and draughty as the platforms. Shame there is no room to provide a few enclosed shelters there
The services in the morning and the evening that I have been using have been running and reasonably punctual, I haven't noticed a raft of cancellations so are TPE improving performance wise.
One thing that is irking me a little is whilst waiting at Leeds at tea time, the east bound services are either doubled up 185's or new nova sets with light loads, can they not time that kind of thing westbound during the core rush hours to alleviate the crush?
Those services are very well used between Manchester and Huddersfield though. The 1630 MAN-HUL is grossly overcrowded if it's only 3 cars or the back 3 need to be locked out. Plus very well used between Leeds and Hull. The 1554 and 1654 LIV-SCA are also well used between Liverpool and Huddersfield.
However, More 802s will be out in the coming weeks.
I am extremely angry and dissappointed to see that the new platform 0 appears to require the wholesale destruction of the Midland railway canopy on platform 1 (and what should have been zero). Why alter something sensitively when you can just destroy it.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Didn't realise there were any historic features in that part of the station after it spent most of the 1980s and 1990s as the parcels area.
It was part of the Wellingto Street station (same vintage as the North concourse). It was a nice link to the steam age in an otherwise very modernistic looking station. Very solid looking too.
There's still some left if you want a look.
Dr Hoo
Established Member
I thought that the 'Art Deco' North Concourse was a 1930s building. How can that be the same vintage as a Midland Railway canopy?
True. Maybe it's a little older.
It is (was) similar to some of the canopies at stations towards Skipton and the old Morecambe Promenade.
Rikki Lamb
Member
- Joined
- 24 Jan 2019
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- 90
Wellington street station was rebuilt in the 1930s hence the north concourse.
All the platform canopies were replaced at this time too so they are from the same period and the little remaining section is all that's left.