Passenger bridge congestion at Newcastle

[northerntyne]

At Newcastle Central Station, the singular passenger bridge (spanning from platform 2 to 7/8) is often congested and crowded. This is especially bad when long-distance services are arriving or departing. Sometimes, it’s taken me 5 minutes just to walk from platform 3/4 to the ticket barriers!

Have there ever been plans to build another bridge across the station to facilitate access to other platforms and ease congestion? Could an underpass work (like at Carlisle)?

The current setup must be awful for someone who is claustrophobic (or in a rush to catch a departing train).

 

[edwin_m]

At Newcastle Central Station, the singular passenger bridge (spanning from platform 2 to 7/8) is often congested and crowded. This is especially bad when long-distance services are arriving or departing. Sometimes, it’s taken me 5 minutes just to walk from platform 3/4 to the ticket barriers!

Have there ever been plans to build another bridge across the station to facilitate access to other platforms and ease congestion? Could an underpass work (like at Carlisle)?

The current setup must be awful for someone who is claustrophobic (or in a rush to catch a departing train).

I believe it's a listed structure so would be difficult to change. I'm not sure why it would be so congested, as others such as York* are narrower with steps instead of ramps.

*I think there is a subway there too, but doubt many people would use it.

 

[omnicity4659]

There's a subway linking platform 2 with 3 and 4 at Newcastle. Accessible by lifts behind Boots on 2 and next to Costa on 3.

 

[swt_passenger]

I believe it's a listed structure so would be difficult to change. I'm not sure why it would be so congested, as others such as York* are narrower with steps instead of ramps.

*I think there is a subway there too, but doubt many people would use it.

I believe the Newcastle subway is not very big and only really suitable to connect the P2/P3 lifts. The lifts themselves are quite small by current standards, so I can’t see the route ever being useful for significant passenger numbers. I wonder if the poor quality of the route is why it was never extended to the P5-P8 island?

 

[AndrewE]

I believe it's a listed structure so would be difficult to change. I'm not sure why it would be so congested, as others such as York* are narrower with steps instead of ramps.

*I think there is a subway there too, but doubt many people would use it.

Not necessarily. These people travel too, you know, and won't want to be seen as the reason why somewhere is stuck with 19th or early-20th century infrastructure.

Approach the appropriate authorities, explain the problem and see what might work.
I would consider an extra bridge, maybe outside the east end of the trainshed which would give the twin benefits of an alternative route to the Metro (avoiding the main station entrance) and providing an emergency escape route direct to the car park.

 

[Trestrol]

Probably worse since they put the central barrier up the middle of it.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Have there ever been plans to build another bridge across the station to facilitate access to other platforms and ease congestion? Could an underpass work (like at Carlisle)?

Use Carlisle station quite often, but not yet had occasion to utilise the subway there. Always used the overbridge. Believe the subway opened/re-opened in April 2014.

Every day's a school day!

 

[HST43257]

*I think there is a subway there too, but doubt many people would use it.

The 2 that York have are well used by those with luggage and those going to the long and short stay car parks, but for those without the main route is the bridge.

A good example of how having a bridge and subway(s) is very good when it comes to flow of passengers at large stations

 

[dan4291]

Probably worse since they put the central barrier up the middle of it.

I think this is the major cause of congestion on this bridge. People are told to stay left so therefore they do it, but it does become bad especially when you get 2 or sometimes 3 trains arrive within minutes of each other.

I know there are plans somewhere to redevelop Newcastle station, adding a new entrance on the south side of the station among other things. Does anyone know if this includes extra bridges or subways?

 

[swt_passenger]

I think this is the major cause of congestion on this bridge. People are told to stay left so therefore they do it, but it does become bad especially when you get 2 or sometimes 3 trains arrive within minutes of each other.

I know there are plans somewhere to redevelop Newcastle station, adding a new entrance on the south side of the station among other things. Does anyone know if this includes extra bridges or subways?

There have been proposals, but I don’t believe there are currently funded plans for a southern entrance. AIUI the latest planning application is only about the former parcels area beside P12

 

[wilbers]

Use Carlisle station quite often, but not yet had occasion to utilise the subway there. Always used the overbridge. Believe the subway opened/re-opened in April 2014.

Every day's a school day!

I used that once last year when I read on here about the other exit from Carlisle station (which is at the west end of that subway) when I was parked in viaduct car park (which is the direction it leads to after the smaller station car park on that side).

 

[rg177]

It doesn't help that people just tend to use the first couple of gates on the exit array so you end up with them backed up on the stairs.

There's a reason I try to be off first at Newcastle, as it can take absolutely forever to get out otherwise.

 

[DanNCL]

What Newcastle station really needs is a wide subway connecting P5-P8, P3/P4 and P1/P2/P9-P12 with a connection also direct to the Metro platforms.

You could keep the footbridge for anyone who wanted to use it but encourage people to use the subway.

Newcastle station actually has a second subway between P2 and P3/P4 which is disused. There’s no point reactivating it as it’s inconveniently positioned, would need new lifts, and is no wider than the open small subway between those platforms.

The footbridge between P3/P4 and P5-P8 isn’t actually that old. It was built at the same time as the ECML was electrified and P5-P8 were built, and was built to the same style as the much older bridge linking P2 and P3/P4. I am surprised they built that bridge in the same style as the older bridge, as fully accessible footbridges had already appeared on Metro 10 years prior.

Congestion on the footbridge is worse now that TPE use 802s than it was when they used 185s, as the latter fitted in the west facing bays hence passengers didn’t need to use the footbridge, whereas the 802s don’t fit in the west facing bays so usually use P3 or P5.

 

[The exile]

Newcastle station actually has a second subway between P2 and P3/P4 which is disused. There’s no point reactivating it as it’s inconveniently positioned, would need new lifts, and is no wider than the open small subway between those platforms.

While accepting that it would be desirable and “the right thing” - would an additional subway need lifts if the existing one already has them?

 

[DanNCL]

While accepting that it would be desirable and “the right thing” - would an additional subway need lifts if the existing one already has them?

Yes as the existing subway doesn’t connect to platforms 5-8

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I did not know there was a subway at Carlise and I have used that station a lot!

The Subways are useful at York as mentioned about for those needing lifts and having luggage.

Again, I did not know about the subway at Newcastle, extending that as suggested and linking it to the Metro Station there too would be a good.

 

[The exile]

Yes as the existing subway doesn’t connect to platforms 5-8

If I’ve read the posts correctly neither does the additional one which could be brought into use.

 

[DanNCL]

If I’ve read the posts correctly neither does the additional one which could be brought into use.

Correct. I wasn’t suggesting bringing the disused one back into use, I was suggesting building a completely new subway.

 

[greyman42]

I'm not sure why it would be so congested, as others such as York* are narrower with steps instead of ramps.

I would say that York has a wider bridge than Newcastle but there is not much in it.

 

[The exile]

Correct. I wasn’t suggesting bringing the disused one back into use, I was suggesting building a completely new subway.

In which case, of course, lifts would be required (as opposed to just useful)

 

[Trestrol]

There really shouldn't be any difficulty building a new subway as the station is built on arches. I know I used to work under what was platform's 1-4. Although a lot of the underground passages under the concourse were filled in when they put the marble tiles down. For the first time that is as they are not the original ones. There is a proposal for a subway entrance from the Tank House behind the station..

While accepting that it would be desirable and “the right thing” - would an additional subway need lifts if the existing one already has them?

This will be the old Royal Mail one. This also went under Forth street to the Mail office I think.