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London’s Euston station must shut down the massive advertising screens that replaced departure information boards this year, as part of an overhaul of the “outdated” train station demanded by ministers.
A five-point plan unveiled on Friday by Network Rail and the Department for Transport also includes measures to reduce overcrowding, as well as improvements to the station toilets.
Euston is one of the busiest London terminals, providing train links to Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, but has often been named one of the UK’s worst travel experiences.
A decision this year to replace large departure boards with a giant advertising screen was particularly criticised by commuters, and has led to crowding around smaller, less visible information screens.
“For too long, Euston station simply hasn’t been good enough for passengers,” said transport secretary Louise Haigh, who ordered the changes. “That’s why I’ve tasked Network Rail with coming up with a clear plan to immediately improve conditions for passengers. This includes a shutdown of the advertising boards from today to review their use.”
Network Rail and train operators including Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Trains are to review how the station works on a day-to-day basis and to make immediate improvements.
Senior members of Network Rail’s management have also been asked to meet Haigh next week to answer questions on plans for the station and set out longer-term improvements.
Killing off the advertising boards is a first step to “getting a grip on overcrowding at the station”, Haigh said.
The advert boards are owned by advertising group JCDecaux, which was contacted for comment on Friday.
“The outdated station is in major need of overhaul and has led to some very uncomfortable and unpleasant conditions for passengers,” said Network Rail and the DfT on Friday.
The review will include changes in how passengers move to and board train services, amid concerns that last-minute announcements of train platforms were leading passengers to rush.
London TravelWatch, a transport watchdog, said this week that passengers in Euston station were being put “in danger” by “high levels of overcrowding”.
Plans to redevelop Euston, which would include a larger concourse, have been on hold subject to additional government funding and decisions over the future of the HS2 high-speed rail network that was originally meant to run to the station.
The five-point plan also includes ambitions to improve the reliability of the infrastructure and train services, but did not provide further details.
Gary Walsh, route director for West Coast South, said: “Passengers haven’t received the experience they deserve at Euston recently and we need to do better.”