Seating at rural stations

[adamt958]

Hey,

While I type this i am standing at Treforest Estate station, something came into my head while I'm here is that there is no seating... The station is long enough for a 6 car train but not one bench along the length of the whole platform, there is two shelters but they are standing only, so it's caused me to thin what other stations suffer from this problem and what should be done about it

 

[DarloRich]

why build loads of seats if c.4 people use the station all day?

 

[Gareth Marston]

why build loads of seats if c.4 people use the station all day?

Of course it depends on your perception some people on this forum have trouble if a town of less than 100,000 has a station whereas most rural stations have far more than 4 passengers a day. My home village of Caersws has footfall around 42,000 and seating.

 

[causton]

why build loads of seats if c.4 people use the station all day?

Sugar Loaf has seats. There must be a reason

 

[Deerfold]

I suspect many rural stations don't have seats due to the fact they're easy to vandalise and may attract people to come and sit who are not planning to catch or meet a train (see: bus shelters).

 

[Gareth Marston]

I suspect many rural stations don't have seats due to the fact they're easy to vandalise and may attract people to come and sit who are not planning to catch or meet a train (see: bus shelters).

Craven Arms was bad for undesirables in the shelters/seating until CCTV

 

[WelshZ]

I have been a regular user of Trefforest Estate station over the past few years and it does technically have seats via a metal bar built into the shelter. Generally there is only enough room for one person to sit down and the station has had increased numbers because of the college campus on the estate. I would know being one of the students who use the station to get there, although admittedly I wouldn't mind NR/Arriva sticking in some seats or a bench it would make waiting for train back a bit more comfortable

 

[DarloRich]

Of course it depends on your perception some people on this forum have trouble if a town of less than 100,000 has a station whereas most rural stations have far more than 4 passengers a day. My home village of Caersws has footfall around 42,000 and seating.

not sure quite what you mean there but anyway.............

My local station is a small halt on a rural line. In 2011/12 it was used by 21,312 people. It has a small shelter with a small bench. It doesn’t need any more seating.

My point is why spend money on lots of seating when it wont get used and will simply moulder away or get smashed up until you have to spend more money fixing it.

 

[cuccir]

Some smaller stations can indeed be very unwelcoming - it would be great if all TOCs could sing up to a 'minimum facilities' level at all stations. In the absence of this, station adopting has been used to provide some seating at smaller stations.

 

[Llanigraham]

I'm wondering how Treforest Estate staion can be considered "rural" when it serves a University and a Trading Estate.
Now Caersws IS rural (and lovely)

 

[Gareth Marston]

I'm wondering how Treforest Estate staion can be considered "rural" when it serves a University and a Trading Estate.
Now Caersws IS rural (and lovely)

Community council has done good job on flower beds upkeep etc at Caersws there's 2 benches under the awning by door to old booking office and seating in the Atw bus shelter up the pltform, the facilities are far better than trefo rest estate by a pardon the pun country mile. The estate was built as a work men's platform for a munitions factory and no one has had the gumption to update it to its modern day status

 

[DarloRich]

Some smaller stations can indeed be very unwelcoming - it would be great if all TOCs could sing up to a 'minimum facilities' level at all stations. In the absence of this, station adopting has been used to provide some seating at smaller stations.

As long as the standard is sensible that would be very good idea. A shelter, decent lighting (perhaps remote monitored cctv) a bench and a timetable & info poster is all you need.

 

[Oswyntail]

As long as the standard is sensible that would be very good idea. A shelter, decent lighting (perhaps remote monitored cctv) a bench and a timetable & info poster is all you need.

And we should remember that the station is just as much a part of the railway experience as the train. As the "gateway" to the service, it should be made as attractive as feasible. Particularly in rural locations, passengers may have to wait for some time for a train if they are changing from a bus (co-ordination? What's that?), and it can be deeply unpleasant at the basic, plastic shelter, particularly if you have those "stand up" seat racks.

 

[DarloRich]

And we should remember that the station is just as much a part of the railway experience as the train. As the "gateway" to the service, it should be made as attractive as feasible. Particularly in rural locations, passengers may have to wait for some time for a train if they are changing from a bus (co-ordination? What's that?), and it can be deeply unpleasant at the basic, plastic shelter, particularly if you have those "stand up" seat racks.

this bus you speak of???????????? In rural areas?????????????

Agreed the station should be clean, tidy and friendly but you only need the most basic facilities.

 

[Llanigraham]

As long as the standard is sensible that would be very good idea. A shelter, decent lighting (perhaps remote monitored cctv) a bench and a timetable & info poster is all you need.

And who is going to monitor the CCTV?

 

[Oswyntail]

this bus you speak of???????????? In rural areas?????????????.....

I did see one, once

 

[DarloRich]

And who is going to monitor the CCTV?

a central control room - it is more to give reassurance to people that the station is monitored.

 

[Gwenllian2001]

It should be pointed out that Trefforest is the station used for the University not Trefforest Estate. The latter was opened to serve the industrial estate and opened in 1942.

 

[Gareth Marston]

a central control room - it is more to give reassurance to people that the station is monitored.

Where do the CCTV images from the platforms at craven arms go? Presumably the one at the points on the dorrington end of the down loop go into signal box

 

[Llanigraham]

a central control room - it is more to give reassurance to people that the station is monitored.

So, for example, in the near future the whole of Wales is going to be signalled from a control room in Cardiff. Do you expect the signallers there to do it?
Get real!! They will have enough problems just controlling the CCTV level crossings let alone looking after stations.

Where do the CCTV images from the platforms at craven arms go? Presumably the one at the points on the dorrington end of the down loop go into signal box

The camera at the end of the loop is a "tail light" camera to confirm the train is complete and in the loop and goes to the box.
If there is CCTV on the platform it is nothing to do with us signallers, and we wouldn't want anything to do with it!

 

[DarloRich]

So, for example, in the near future the whole of Wales is going to be signalled from a control room in Cardiff. Do you expect the signallers there to do it?
Get real!! They will have enough problems just controlling the CCTV level crossings let alone looking after stations.

No i dont expect signalers to do it. I do have some knowledge of what their job entails.:roll:

I expect it to be covered, like many town centre camera systems, by a third party in their own control room.

 

[Llanigraham]

No i dont expect signalers to do it. I do have some knowledge of what their job entails.:roll:

I expect it to be covered, like many town centre camera systems, by a third party in their own control room.

That's where another problem arises. Rural areas are by their description not near urban areas so that "control" could be anything up to 50 miles away in Wales. And don't forget that rural areas don't have a Police presence either. None of the towns near me have CCTV anyway!

And really, are we not finding a "problem" where one doesn't actually exist? Are rural stations so threatening to passengers that they actually feel they need CCTV? From my experience there is no problem generally.

 

[sevenhills]

And really, are we not finding a "problem" where one doesn't actually exist? Are rural stations so threatening to passengers that they actually feel they need CCTV? From my experience there is no problem generally.

My local station usage has increased by much more than other stations, in part due to CCTV. I wouldnt describe it as rural tho.

 

[paddington]

Well in some countries, people bring their own chairs to the station (and sometimes onto the train as well), and people also leave their old unwanted chairs at stations and bus stops. Probably get fined for fly tipping in the UK.

 

[DarloRich]

That's where another problem arises. Rural areas are by their description not near urban areas so that "control" could be anything up to 50 miles away in Wales. And don't forget that rural areas don't have a Police presence either. None of the towns near me have CCTV anyway!

And really, are we not finding a "problem" where one doesn't actually exist? Are rural stations so threatening to passengers that they actually feel they need CCTV? From my experience there is no problem generally.

there may be no problem, but it offers reassurance to passengers and goes some way to preventing anti social behaviour.

 

[Llanigraham]

Does it?
I suppose it depends on whether you see that there "might" be a problem, and from my experience there isn't one, and certainly not in my area.

 

[edwin_m]

Most stations in Scotland have CCTV and although the link below doesn't say so I believe it all goes back to one monitoring centre.

http://www.scotrail.co.uk/content/cctv-extended-across-scotland’s-railway-stations

 

[Gareth Marston]

That's where another problem arises. Rural areas are by their description not near urban areas so that "control" could be anything up to 50 miles away in Wales. And don't forget that rural areas don't have a Police presence either. None of the towns near me have CCTV anyway!

And really, are we not finding a "problem" where one doesn't actually exist? Are rural stations so threatening to passengers that they actually feel they need CCTV? From my experience there is no problem generally.

Newtown is plastered in cctv cameras.

 

[Llanigraham]

Newtown is plastered in cctv cameras.

Shows how often I enter the Den of Iniquity then!!
I've never noticed any.

 

[Howardh]

Don't many unstaffed/rural stations have some kind of help/panic button?