Euston station’s advertising board switched off as part of improvement plan

Network Rail has turned off a large advertising board at London’s Euston station as part of a review ordered by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh.

The Government-owned company said assessing how the screen is used will feature in a five-point plan aimed at improving the station.

Other measures include creating more concourse space, upgrading toilets and enhancing how the station operates during disruption.

It will also reconsider how passengers are given boarding information during train delays, and aims to increase the reliability of its infrastructure.

Network Rail, which owns the station, has been criticised for converting the main concourse departure board into a large advertising screen, with smaller train information boards installed.

Earlier this week watchdog London TravelWatch warned that passengers at Euston are being put “in danger” by “high levels of overcrowding”.

It said “last-minute announcements” mean passengers “rush to platforms”, and staff “appear overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people”.

Network Rail said its “senior management” have been asked to meet Transport Secretary Louise Haigh next week to “answer questions on plans for the station and set out a route towards longer-term improvements”.

Ms Haigh said: “For too long, Euston station simply hasn’t been good enough for passengers.

“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.

“We know Euston needs a permanent solution and are working hard to agree this – but these immediate steps will help to alleviate some of the issues the station has been facing.”

Network Rail route director Gary Walsh said: “Passengers haven’t received the experience they deserve at Euston recently and we need to do better.

“Our five-point plan will help improve things for passengers in the short-term by creating more space, providing better passenger information, and working as an industry to improve the reliability of train services on the West Coast Main Line.”

On September 26 last year, regulator the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) issued an improvement notice to Network Rail in relation to the station, accusing the company of failing to prevent safety risks from “unacceptable” overcrowding.

The ORR found Network Rail “complied” with the notice on December 15 by implementing measures to “manage passenger traffic flows and overcrowding”, but concerns about the station continue to be raised.

There are plans to redevelop Euston, including a larger concourse, but these are subject to Network Rail securing more Government funding.

Major work to prepare a site alongside the station for HS2 was halted by the Conservative government in March last year.

Labour ministers have yet to announce whether the high-speed railway will be extended to Euston or will only run to and from Old Oak Common in the west London suburbs.

A passenger at Euston on Friday afternoon described the station as a “dump”.

Tim Jones, who was travelling to Rugeley, Staffordshire, told the PA news agency: “Well, it’s a dump, isn’t it?

“St Pancras is lovely, lots of other stations are lovely, but Euston’s pretty uninspiring.

“There are lots of people here waiting. They’ll probably have about five minutes before their train goes and then rush like mad for the train.”

He said the presence of the advertising board was “not a big deal” to him.

Standing beneath the board, Mr Jones, who is retired, added: “The big deal is hanging around waiting, which doesn’t happen in lots of other stations.”

Another passenger said the advertising board “wasn’t the main issue” for her but said last-minute platform announcements were “really annoying”.

Helen Brooks, who was travelling to Milton Keynes, told PA: “What I find really annoying is that we’re waiting for the Birmingham train and they must know where that is already and yet they won’t announce it.

“So then everybody has to run and jump on the train at the last minute.

Discussing the smaller train information boards, Ms Brooks, 57, added: “I quite like the multiple screens and that they’re outside as well.

“But it’s always a mad rush and it’s always been the same.”