Forum Topic

Ealing Broadway Station

I agree with Councillor Jon Ball the decision not provide escalators at the New Ealing Broadway Station is a missed opportunity.  As a user of the present station the stairs down to the platforms are during busy periods a serious safety risk.  Looking to the future with the increased number of residential properties and hotels being built in central Ealing and the new Crossrail system the number of commuters is going to increase considerably. I have visited many other less busy stations in London that have escalators, so why not Ealing?At this station will be two Underground lines (Central and District), National Rail and Crossrail.  

James McWilliams ● 4458d17 Comments

I am flipping, blinking, hopping mad about this - as many have pointed out this is the one opportunity to finally make it fit for purpose and able to cope with the guaranteed incease in passenger numbers. I read an article on this Forum's home page about 'Save Ealing Centre' and have signed up to get their updates on ongoing discussions and renewed plans. Looks to me like they have the right approach and foresight that at the moment is very much missing.

Guy Edema ● 4445d

Not only do we need drop off and pick up areas but we also need a car park that is easily accessible when you are carrying/pulling suitcases.  At present it isn't easy to approach the station on foot with a suitcase when you are walking up from the Ealing Broadway Centre.

Philippa Bond ● 4445d

Barry that is so wrong. Were you having prematurely a senior moment?:-)

George Knox ● 4445d

Gerry Tan in a previous post talked about drop-off and pick-up provision. As from today I think there will be only 3 bays for both private cars and minicabs to drop off and pick up with a 5 minute duration (and a hefty fine if you exceed that). In other words the crescent shaped access road will go....and never be replaced? I for one think this is discrimination. There are 25 black cab bays serving the rich and famous where taxis may wait for unlimited time. Looks like the rich what gets the pleasure and the poor what gets hardly anything and the decision makers go along with this. We the plebs have had no say in any of this design. Good design heavily involves the user. Anyone know how to build barricades?

Arthur Breens ● 4445d

"The new design needs to be iconic"Please, no,  the modern usage of 'iconic' just means 'designed by spivs for spivs'.  What's wrong with modest and serviceable?

Thomas Barry ● 4445d

It's got to be a good thing that professional architects have been hired to take a look at the plans for the station and I hope the result will be a much better design. I agree though that it is a shame that local council tax payers have to pick up the cost of this because Network Rail have done such a poor job. Boris Johnson has some questions to answer because he should have insisted that the suburban stations are reviewed by the same design review panel that looked at those in Central London. The lack of any review has led Network Rail to believe that good design is not important in the suburbs and cost cutting can be given priority. Crossrail and Network Rail need to get the message that we will not settle for second rate designs and to do better with the plans for West Ealing and the other local stations that are yet to be revealed. I fear that the designs for these stations will also be disappointing though.

Paul Conlan ● 4445d

Recently a friend was telling me about a visit she made with taking a friend in a wheelchair to the brand new Brent Town Hall and the lift wasn't big enough.  We really need more accessibility.

Philippa Bond ● 4446d

Ticket Office too small. How could this be expanded? The floor on which it is situated is already relatively very small. I am not sure how room can be found to put in escalators and yet accommodate users of one if not the busiest underground terminus stations in London.Apart from tiny (relative to crowd volumes)lifts  what are people suggesting? I can see an expedient cheap solution coming which will dog residents for decades. And when agreed the Leader will start crowing about what a wonderful solution has been found.I don’t care how much it costs the authorities. All parking and stop and drop facilities in the forecourt should be compulsorily purchased by the Council, so the public can have civilised transport access for the first time ever. How many more decades do we have to put up with ignorant transport planning decisions on this issue?Let’s hope the new architects etc will come up with a better design. The present monstrous proposal looks like an oversized bike shed cover designed by small brained cyclists in the transport and regeneration roles.The new design needs to be iconic and a classic for future generations.  Perhaps they can’t spell iconic?

George Knox ● 4446d

The annoying thing is that presumably the council (i.e. you and me as local taxpayers) are picking up the tab for something that should be Crossrail's remit.

Nigel Brooks ● 4446d

New architects to improve Crossrail stations at EB and Southall:http://www.ealing.gov.uk/news/article/869/architects_appointed_to_improve_crossrail_stations_design

Philippa Bond ● 4446d

Very interesting but I see the figures are for those who simply enter and exit EB station.  Thus I assume they do not include the considerable number of passengers who simply transfer between tube and rail without entering or leaving the station but still have to go up a level?

Philip Coe ● 4456d

Yes they are From http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/passenger-numbers-at-underground-stations.pdfNumber of entrances/exits (2011).Ealing Broadway 16.51 million (busier than all 3 Heathrow stations combined)Greenford 3.67 million

Nigel Brooks ● 4457d

I guess all the new escalator money for the area has been committed to Greenford?  OK it has quite a long flight of stairs but add the two together at Ealing Broadway it can't be that much difference from platform to street level.  And in terms of of numbers of "customers" surely an order of magnitude?  Are these figures published?

Philip Coe ● 4457d

For the reasons given below, I agree too with the necessity for escalators - besides, more often than not lifts break down and lugging suitcases up the stairs is definitely a no-no for most people. If no escalators, how about some sort of ramp where one could pull/wheel up/down luggage? Ealing Broadway is a train station, not just a tube station and people do carry luggage, those stairs are a nightmare.It is so obvious though that escalators are the solution, not excluding lifts (at least one) for handicapped people and pushchairs users.

Marie Mortimer ● 4457d

I can't use Ealing Broadway anymore. The stairs are perilous and, being on crutches, it frightens the life out of me.

Nigel Brooks ● 4457d

I've stated this numerous times. I use Ealing daily and it's so unfit for purpose it's not true. The stairs from street level are a disaster waiting to happen and the ticket office hall is too small with too few barriers to go through. In fact, blood pressure is rising as I'm writing this, so as Nigel B suggested, have a butchers at t'other thread. You are not alone!

Bud Richards ● 4458d

There is already an established thread on this here.If this totally rubbish forum application allowed a link to forum  posts I would post a link.

Nigel Brooks ● 4458d