GTR to enhance passenger experience at seven London stations

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which runs Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express trains, has announced that passengers using seven London stations will benefit from projects funded by its Station Improvements and Minor Works programmes this financial year.

The projects, including cycle parking, customer information and accessibility enhancements, are scheduled to be completed by March 2024.

The seven stations in the capital are among 20 across the whole GTR network, from Hertfordshire to the Sussex coast, where passengers will benefit. GTR is investing a total of £1.2 million in the programmes.

Coulsdon South will get a new cycle hub with secure parking for 38 bikes, and open parking for a further 24 bikes on two-tier racks, all to be fitted with LED lighting. There are plans to install a secure entry system and CCTV.

Passengers on Purley station’s Platform 3 gain an additional waiting shelter. Its position will provide weather protection for passengers who choose to move further along the platform away from the entry gates.

In response to feedback from passengers, Streatham Hill will gain a new customer information screen on the concourse, close to the ticket machines. Currently, passengers need to go through the gates to see departure information, so the new screen will mean people can see at a glance what trains are coming before buying a ticket.

Two new toilets at the busy commuting interchange of Balham will greatly ease demand for the single existing toilet. This accessible facility will therefore offer more availability for disabled customers and need less frequent maintenance.

Finsbury Park will gain its first accessible toilet. On Platforms 7 and 8, this will complement the Government’s recently completed Access for All lift installation that made these platforms step-free from the street.

The North London station’s outdated PA system will be completely upgraded with new speakers, microphones, control equipment and cabling. The current system is showing its age, with insufficient sound quality, poor coverage of the platforms, and damaged cables. The improvements are supported by passenger representatives including the Hatfield Rail User Group and Hadley Wood Rail User Group, whose members use the station as an interchange for Moorgate, King’s Cross and St Pancras services with London Underground.

At Catford, old benches that have been removed to allow more space for wheelchair users are being replaced by narrower “perch” seats that preserve a comfortable platform width.

One South London scheme has already been completed. Denmark Hill’s well-equipped cycle hub now has a bike repair point, a feature suggested by local community group the SE5 Forum. The repair point offers cyclists with access to the hub an assortment of spanners and screwdrivers, and an air pump, for maintenance on the go.

GTR’s Customer Services Director Jenny Saunders said: “More places to sit or to get out of the rain, a nearby available toilet, and easy access to clear, up-to-date information about your train – these are small wins, but when thousands of our passengers are winning every day, all these individual improvements add up to make travelling with us a much better experience.”

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