Tag: Station Facilities

Halifax – “still much still to deal with”

On Halifax station, HADRAG understands a meeting between the rail bodies was expected to happen soon after Easter to look at the issue of the station toilet. We shall ask for an update. It sounds like there will be some kind of temporary solution whilst drainage is repaired. Hadrag continues to ask whether a more imaginative solution could be devised – a more modern design at the station front releasing space on for new access to the wider south end of the platforms, easing crowding. There is no clear update on the obvious need for more train information screens both on the station itself and in nearby locations in the town. The town centre is outside Northern’s area of responsibility. Where precisely are the boundaries between Northern, Network Rail or the local authority? (Let’s hope at least that internal railway boundaries matter less when Great British Railways is all one firm.) The blocked drains near the road junction are described as falling into the main road drainage system, though the obvious blocked gulley looks to be within bounds of railway property. We shall see what happens with the A629 works. Removal of the long-broken glass doors at platform level to add additional space seems to be under consideration, along with additional signing to clarify the one-way system on the footbridge stairs. A central handrail handrail on the stairway is also under consideration. Full station repaint is scheduled – as currently budgeted – for 2026-7. The access improvements which are, we understand, a West Yorkshire Combined Authority scheme, should start in 2027 across 22 phase 1 stations across the county, including Hebden Bridge as well as Halifax. The list of possible improvements includes Braille station maps, help points, induction loops, better signing for access, Braille on handrails, accessible toilets (!!!), and other improvements. Table below and over page is update on our previous edition of this newsletter. Other great news includes more posters on the way, designed by Calderdale College students. Coming soon, we gather, could be a record-breaking station mural – longest in England! Installation expected by beginning of summer. These posters have made a big mark all along our line and we warmly welcome them. Keep up the good work Northern and station partners. The A629 eastern works will benefit rail passengers by creating more direct, pedestrian-friendly and cycle-friendly access between station and town. A new crossing will be more direct, straight across to the bottom of Blackledge and the Piece Hall, the latter massively attractive for access by rail.

Hadrag’s Notes from Meeting

  • Access improvements expected in next 2 years (funded) – should benefit both disabled and able-bodied.
  • Full repaint also expected.
  • Need for effective signs for example showing one-way system on stairway steps to platform.
  • Public toilet attached to and accessed via platform waiting room is currently out of service (though recently refurbished). It seems drains need to be renewed/repaired involving work below the rail tracks and significant delay.
  • At the meeting we mentioned alternatives such as a new facility upstairs by the booking office rather than upgrading the present facility.
  • Power operated sliding doors connecting mini-concourse at bottom of footbridge steps to platform never operated for more than a week or two no exaggeration.
  • Need to be removed and surroundings made good and safe – more space – including floor of waiting area.
  • We heard about an incident where someone had fallen at the doorway – safety.
  • Need to encourage people to wait for trains away from the narrow part of the platform: Problem on both platforms with people clustering round doorways – safety.
  • P2 where the curving track restricts view (to people waiting on the narrowest part) of trains coming in. Having to push past crowds can be quite frightening when there are crowds of people who may not be sober or particularly polite.
  • Footbridge steps safety: central handrail needed, and clear signing of one-way system on steps.
  • Station approach bridge safety: Traffic and tripping hazards. We know of people who have had falls, not least on loose flags e.g. at NW entrance opposite the Sq Chapel and the Piece Hall.
  • Parking – limited spaces. Many of filled all day taking up space that would be useful space for pedestrian access.
  • We would like to see these parking spaces moved to ground level with new access (lift and/or compliant ramp) created.
  • The bridge approach would then be for drop-off, pick-up, taxis, disabled and wheeled users only.
  • Station users need action now. Results of the Church Street and Square Rd work are awaited with eager anticipation.

Main road will be the old part of Church Street route down towards Halifax Minster. There will be new bus stops in Alfred Street East. Vehicle access to the station approach will be maintained helping many who are dropped off, as well as park and ride people. Ultimately, Hadrag would like to see vehicle access to the station approach restricted to pick-up/drop-off, disabled, taxis, plus bikes and people on foot. This would leave more room for pedestrians to circulate, but need new access from Eureka! car park level, so a longer-term objective and potentially costly. Hadrag will keep up the campaign and keep you informed. There is much still to deal with!

Header Image: “File:Refurbished canopy and stairs – Halifax station – geograph.org.uk – 1607387.jpg” by Phil Champion is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Station toilet in news again for wrong reasons…

Hadrag officers met Kate Dearden, MP for Halifax, with representatives from Northern Trains, Network Rail, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Calderdale in a packed session on-site at Halifax station. We looking at Hadrag’s paper circulated at the end of last year. Many thanks to Kate and to Northern’s office for organising the event. Big issue turned out to be yet another episode of the public toilet saga – that minimalistic, recently refurbished, unit behind the waiting room. It is of course out of service yet again, and sounding like a big job to fix, involving drains under the rail lines. We were quick to point out that a new unit by the station ticket office, using existing drains (that we presume work!) could be a better idea than repairing the platform level facility that has always seemed to be a problem. The space in the waiting room could then be used to make a new door to the south end of the platform improving access and reducing hazards of crowding. New display screens are baldly needed to provide more visible information. Good news in the relatively short term could be access-improvements hopefully within the next two years funding approved. We are really grateful for that but point out that a lot more needs to be done. Not least improving safety for people on the platform, and those accessing the station as pedestrians. Look at our shot with people crossing the approach road where it joins Church St. On a wet day some end up wading through puddles whilst avoiding cars. When the rain abates you can see a blocked drain where water ever so slowly dribbles away. There is no indication of whether the once outlined “gateway” schemes, shifted to a back burner some time ago, will ever be revived. Which is why we need action now! We are grateful to all the rail people who joined us at on that wet Friday afternoon. We will not give up on this. They will hear from us again – see post meeting summary attached (p4-5) for a start! Meanwhile road improvements on Church St and Square Rd are expected to start this spring – maybe as you read this. During the works there may be some disruption to station access, but the result should be worth waiting for, making the station approach more people-friendly not least for those accessing on foot. Whether that will include dealing with blocked drains on railway property remains to be seen. Also in this issue of Rail Views: analysis of passenger footfall for stations on our line up to March 2025, released at end of last year. We are almost – almost – recovered from the pandemic! And the “Northern Powerhouse” – what’s in for us, out in the wilds west of Bradford? It must not be just about the big cities. We want new services on the lines though Halifax, Elland and Brighouse – and a better deal for Sowerby Bridge. Join us and tell your travelling colleagues about us. Read on and enjoy! – JSW

Northern Meeting: Stations and Information

Halifax station should get three new ticket vending machines in the near future as Northern installs more and more of its shiny “smartwalls” across the network. Let’s support our staffed booking offices, expanded maybe to offer a wider range of services.  More local and tourist information would be a start. Northern seem to be saying they want to develop the role of the booking office. Stations like Sowerby Bridge — at present unstaffed — could get modular buildings for staff to serve the public.

People still want printed timetables. HADRAG has criticised the current Northern style  where you need three separate booklets to find the whole Calder Valley Line service. We understand the plan is for a smaller number of area-based timetables. That could be a step forward.

Image: Sowerby Bridge Station (flickr photo by calflier001 https://flickr.com/photos/calflier001/4605598267 shared under a Creative Commons (BY-SA) license)

Support Your Local Booking Office

Paper MetroCards in West Yorkshire are now fully replaced by the smartcards. You can top up your MCard with weekly or monthly travel, based on the MetroCard zonal system, at rail station ticket vending machines (TVMs) across the county. But you have to get your original MCard from a Metro travel centre or Payzone outlet (Payzone charges a fee for the card). It’s a shame the full range of Metro tickets is not available at train stations. We’ve asked why—maybe we just have to wait for a technology update?  Surely Northern should expand rather than cut the range of retail services. On Merseyside there are station ticket offices that are also shops selling food and travel goods. We welcome news that our train company is to increase station staffing, but await details of how this will work — probably “roaming” staff rather than behind a glass screen. All well and good but surely traditional office or modern “shop-style” retailing of tickets and other travel products remains vital at key stations. Counter staff can serve in a way not easily delivered either by TVMs or by roaming colleagues with hand-held devices.

And, we might ask, is it always easy enough to get the correct fare from the machine? We found Manchester fares on the TVM at Bradford Interchange defaulted to the “any permitted route” prices, valid via Leeds, asking a startling £22.70 for an off-peak day return instead of the £12.10 for the direct route via Hebden Bridge. Finding the cheaper fare involved delving further into options on the machine. Booking office staff can also have the resources to help with complex journeys that can be difficult with on-line booking if you don’t know with the system.

Good new on fares is that quite a lot of off-peak prices went down in September. For example Halifax-Manchester off-peak day return via Hebden Bridge is now £9.90 (previously £11.70).

But off-peak day returns within Greater Manchester all went up!

 

Header Image: flickr photo by Tim Green aka atoach https://flickr.com/photos/atoach/3994240224 shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license