So the question comes then, what about the passenger, who can't walk properly, doesn't want to book advance tickets so doesn't realise they can reserve a seat, or can't reliably know when they want to travel. Comes into Euston station, not knowing their platform, standing next to 10ish on the concourse waiting patiently, doesn't want to book or use mobility assistance because they're stuborn and don't let their disabilities affect them while they're out and about, and is now tentatively looking at the boards for the 18:57 to MAN on Friday, travelling alone in an unfermillar station.
6 mins before departure, the platform is announed, it's on Platform 16, by the time the passenger has walked to this platform after being pushed around by the crowd of pax rushing the platform, he cannot get there in good time due to the stampede and either ends up boarding at the London end and needing to walk down the train to Standard, causing significant pain and resulting in proberbly not being able to find a seat and having to stand for a prolonged period of time, due to not being able to get a seat and not looking disabled (in spite of receiving higher level DLA for mobility), or alternatively ends up just missing this service and having to again rush, to platform 2 for the 19:00 service that he also misses, eventually, after speaking to a member of gateline staff and receiving no end of attitude because, "You don't look disabled so I'm not telling you where it bloddy well is!" and then being told his perfectly valid ticket is not valid for some insane reason, having this confiscated and spending up to another £80 on a ticket, by the time he's managed to walk to the ticket office and back, has missed the 19:20, finally, a member of London Midland staff takes pitty on the poor 17 year old, informing him of what platform the 19:40 service is on, showing him around the barriers and taking him to his seat, he thanks the member of London Midland staff and wonders why Virgin staff can't be this helpful, arriving in Manchester an hour late, unable to call ahead where his partner and mother are very worried for the next hour while they wait, as it's impossible to speak to anyone at Euston to find out what's happening...
So yeah, one should have the platforms announced in such a way that doesn't cause stampedes!