Why do intercity termini tend to open the gatelines for arriving trains while other stations (Like Victoria) can seemingly cope with busier trains

[renegademaster]

Is it do with more e tickets slowing down the gateline? Could it just be a Euston/KGX/Paddington thing due to their cramped designs?
Please move to infrastructure and stations if more appropriate.

 

[saismee]

I agree that this belongs more in infrastructure and stations.

I've noticed some stations do the opposite with their gates, specifically opening them between services and closing them when trains arrive. This is certainly due to the staff doing a hybrid role and being unable to attend the gateline at all times though. Opening the gates for arriving trains sort of defeats the point does it not?

 

[jfollows]

Euston did it because onboard staff could be relied upon to collect tickets, so no need to check on arrival. In BR days anything that stopped at Rugby might get a barrier check, this was before Milton Keynes existed you understand, but anything else didn’t need it. Also why Watford set down only was enforced then as now.

Presumably today’s onboard staff work harder than BR staff used to and are assumed to be able to do a full ticket check between Milton Keynes and Euston!

 

[DaventryRabbit]

As an aside to this, at Euston, recently i've noticed the LNWR Birmingham/Crewe trains tend to go from the ungated platforms. IMO this has been the case since the "Euston Scrum" of late advertised platforms became a big thing. Perhaps having the hoards sprinting down the ramp to Platforms 8 - 11 and then having the bottleneck of the gateline to contend with was one of the issues that exaserbated the problem...

 

[swt_passenger]

As an aside to this, at Euston, recently i've noticed the LNWR Birmingham/Crewe trains tend to go from the ungated platforms. IMO this has been the case since the "Euston Scrum" of late advertised platforms became a big thing. Perhaps having the hoards sprinting down the ramp to Platforms 8 - 11 and then having the bottleneck of the gateline to contend with was one of the issues that exaserbated the problem...

I think, on the other hand, that opening gatelines is not that helpful for the increasing number needing to touch in and out, eg flexi season users, or people in the ever expanding contactless areas. At least gates have the side effect for most users of ensuring correct touches, whereas standalone readers seem to get missed. I wonder how many incorrect fares are charged when staff open gates during periods with suddenly higher than usual passenger numbers?

 

[Haywain]

flexi season users,

Flexi season users don't need to touch out.

opening gatelines is not that helpful for the increasing number needing to touch in and out,

Opening gatelines rarely stops anyone touching in or out if they actually need to.