The Anonymous Widower

Escalators In Station Design

Over the last few months, I’ve been to three brand-new stations.

• Kirkstall Forge, which I nwrote about in Kirkstall Forge Station
• Lea Bridge, which I wrote about in The People Of London Welcome Lea Bridge Station
• London Bridge, which I wrote about in Details Of The New London Bridge Station

All are well-built stations with step-free access.

But I have to ask, if Kirkstall Forge and Lea Bridge would be better stations with a more favourable financial outlook, if they had escalators instead of stairs to the bridge.

Consider.

• London Transport used escalators extensively before the Second World War and few think that was wrong.
• Escalators must surely attract more paying passengers.
• If escalators are used could we see them paired with inclined lifts. to perhaps create more compact stations.

Quite frankly, Kirkstall Forge and Lea Bridge have boring layouts. I do think, we need more innovative station designs.

In some ways the most interesting station I’ve seen in the last few months is Welwyn Garden City, where the station is on the First Floor of a Shopping Centre. The main escalators and lifts are in the Shopping Centre with individual lifts and stairs to the platforms.

September 28, 2016 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Good Design, Stations, Step-Free