The Anonymous Widower

Before Crossrail – Issues On The Shenfield Metro

Now that I’ve visited all of the stations on the Shenfield Metro, that will be taken over by Crossrail, I can list a few of the issues.

1. Disabled And Step Free Access

The stations generally suffer because when they were originally designed disabled people and those pushing prams and carrying heavy cases didn’t travel by trains.

Some like Stratford, Shenfield, Brentwood and Chadwell Heath are now fully accessible, but even they would have been designed differently in the last few years.

I’m not disabled, but I do have access problems in that I don’t bounce around like I used to. I would like to see more high quality handrails on stairs, such as you get at Stratford.

But if all the stations are upgraded to the level of Chadwell Heath, I suspect that most will find the access to the platforms acceptable.

2. Train Access

The current Class 315 trains don’t line up with the platforms well. But in a few years time, when the new Class 345 trains arrive, I suspect that the platform edges will be adjusted to be level with the trains.

One thing that will help in getting this level step-across access from platform to train, is that all of the station platforms between Stratford and Shenfield seem to be pretty straight.

3. Norwich In Ninety

This project has nothing directly to do with Crossrail directly.

But the Great Eastern Main Line is a busy rail route for travellers to Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and all the other connected towns and cities.

So how should these trains interface with Crossrail?

If I want to go to Ipswich now, as I do regularly for the football, I usually take a bus followed by either a walk or an Underground train to get to Liverpool Street. My actual route usually depends on which bus arrives first and the weather.

But for me, after Crossrail opens, it might be easier to go to either Whitechapel or Farringdon and get Crossrail to either Stratford or Shenfield to pick up the train to Ipswich. It all depends on how the trains align with Crossrail.

This all shows how Crossrail might solve a few problems, but it will give passengers the problem of finding the quickest and most convenient route.

One thing though that the upgraded route will do, is substantially cut the time it takes to between East Anglia and Heathrow. Incidentally, for Gatwick, they’ll go via Cambridge, which will have a direct link.

4.Buses

One of the strengths of London’s public transport system is the buses, which move six million passengers every weekday.

But at none of the stations on the Shenfield Metro, except for Stratford, was there a proper bus interchange. I suspect too, that Stratford is the only station on that line where Transport for London plays a substantial part in the management of the station.

Perhaps the most interesting comparison is to compare Shenfield‘s bus arrangement with those at the much smaller Chingford, which has a sizeable and well-designed bus station, for half the passengers Shenfield handles.

If you read this document about Crossrail’s plans for Shenfield, you’ll see that they aren’t too happy about bus arrangements at the station and are proposing solutions.

5. Onward Travel Information

At most stations with the exception of Stratford, the onward travel information is poor and minimal and very much gives the impression it was designed in Norwich by Abellio Greater Anglia. It is certainly not to the standard you get in the average Underground or Overground station. At one station, luckily there was a bus stop outside with a shelter and spider and local walking maps.

All stations except for Brentwood and Shenfield have bus spider maps on-line.

Hopefully, this will all improve, when Crossrail takes over the management of the stations.

6. Freight

What surprised me at Forest Gate was that a freight train trundled through. I suppose once the line is fully open, then freight trains will get out of the way.

But it does go to show, that we should have sorted out the freight some years ago, before London Gateway was built.

October 11, 2014 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Before Crossrail, Crossrail, Trains