New entrance to Denmark Hill station

[Baggs]

Sorry, that wasn't clear, the ticket gates are in operation. They are usually in a permanent state of open.

[cle]

Having them closed is good for evaders, but also for accurate metrics about station usage! Only then will Southeastern/TfL/whoever spend money on improvements, or have more trains stop (several Victoria trains pass through at around 8:05-10am during a gap in service).

Any news on the paint job of the stairs? What is the final plan there, including the original entrance?

I read that in 2014, station management will pass from Southeastern to the new Thameslink franchise company. Going by their work at West Hampstead Thameslink (which I've mentioned on here as an almost identical station format) - it can only be a good thing. They're seemingly more generous on ticket machines (Oyster!) too.

[mikeb]

James - this mismanagement deserves to be investigated. How can we find out who the project manager was and their explanation of how they missed the budget by 50%?

[Too Good To Be True]

I'd be happy personally to pay some unemployed local youths to knock a hole in the Windsor Terrace wall and construct some steps up to the walkway. I assume an electrician could easily hook up an Oyster reader.

Lack of entrance there costs me at least 6 minutes per day, 250 days per year. That's 25 hours per year. Can see myself doing this for at least another 5 years.

= 125 hours. I value my leisure time at about ?40 per hour.

125 * 40 = ?5,000

I am officially putting this out to tender...

[Too Good To Be True]

Cost control in publicly funded projects is awful. Surprised it only went over by 50% tbh.

Who shouldered the extra costs of the over-run? Was it the taxpayer through the "Access For All" scheme?

People complain about PFI (for very good reasons). One defence of PFI is that it pushes the risk of over-run onto the private sector.

[Bic Basher]

cle Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Can you also ask TFL about ticketing? It's dismal

> - and I've seen signs now that weekly travelcards

> will no longer be on paper, so that's another

> massive tranche moving to Oyster. And the guy in

> the booth is a tosser.

Not made clear is that period travelcards can still be sold on paper from Denmark Hill as the station is managed by Southeastern railway. It's only from London Overground managed stations that the changes were made to Oyster only.

[CocoC]

I miss the coffee shop. I hope they will re-open - does anyone know?

[bonaome]

Please have a read of this press release from Network Rail http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/News-Releases/Improvements-at-Denmark-Hill-station-unveiled-by-transport-minister-1e70.aspx

We actually have ?...a much improved station which will provide passengers with a much better experience as they use the railway. There is better access, better information and better facilities, all of which have made a huge difference to the quality of the station."

It seems we have also got ... "better passenger waiting areas and new retail facilities including a coffee shop. Accessible toilets have also been provided within the new station building."

The station was opened by Norman Baker MP, Fiona Taylor (Network Rail?s route managing director for Kent) and Charles Horton (Managing Director of Southeastern.)

I'm going to tweet @networkrailPR and make them aware of the issues being raised on this thread.

[James Barber]

I've found a contact to access about this from Southeastern.

I'm also chasing planning enforcement to ensure the original footbridge and staircases are reopened ASAP.

It is appalling that so much public money could be wasted and the job not even finished and with no regard of any kind to the travelling public utility at this station.

[cle]

Bic Basher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> cle Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Can you also ask TFL about ticketing? It's

> dismal

> > - and I've seen signs now that weekly

> travelcards

> > will no longer be on paper, so that's another

> > massive tranche moving to Oyster. And the guy

> in

> > the booth is a tosser.

>

>

> Not made clear is that period travelcards can

> still be sold on paper from Denmark Hill as the

> station is managed by Southeastern railway. It's

> only from London Overground managed stations that

> the changes were made to Oyster only.

You need a photocard still - obselete. And they've also stopped doing weekly paper Travelcards, so again not so useful.

The only role the ticket office staff have these days is to tell people to use the machine as they don't do Oyster. Useless.

[AlexC]

Opening the old footbridge and stairs will make some difference to getting down to the platform once you're through gates. It can get pretty busy if a train has just come in and people are on their way up to the exit. I'm presuming there are no plans for more gates in the old entrance? Unless that happens, there is going to be a constant bottle neck in the new entrance at peak times. Great job network rail!...not...

[James Barber]

It is amazing that they've replaced the old constraint of narrow footbridge with a narrow much longer footbridge and the narrow single doorway with ticket barriers.

The capacity is the same after ? millions spent.

Need someone to click those plastic tags holding the barriers over the revamped old footbridge and stair entrances.

[cle]

You represent us all democratically! Go forth and clip...

Seriously though, why the new entrance doesn't connect with the new footbridge (on both sides) to help distribute traffic and lessen many people's walks is a complete joke.

James - can you petition for the final scope to be released so that we can make requests for works to amend and improve further? It's such a busy station these days.

[Bic Basher]

cle Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Bic Basher Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > cle Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Can you also ask TFL about ticketing? It's

> > dismal

> > > - and I've seen signs now that weekly

> > travelcards

> > > will no longer be on paper, so that's another

> > > massive tranche moving to Oyster. And the guy

> > in

> > > the booth is a tosser.

> >

> >

> > Not made clear is that period travelcards can

> > still be sold on paper from Denmark Hill as the

> > station is managed by Southeastern railway.

> It's

> > only from London Overground managed stations

> that

> > the changes were made to Oyster only.

>

> You need a photocard still - obselete. And they've

> also stopped doing weekly paper Travelcards, so

> again not so useful.

>

> The only role the ticket office staff have these

> days is to tell people to use the machine as they

> don't do Oyster. Useless.

Photocards were re-introduced for weekly paper travelcards requested by the train companies. The other excuse regarding weekly paper travelcards is poor customer service from Southeastern and you should make a complaint to their customer services regarding the 'service' from Denmark Hill's ticket office if they continue to refuse to sell you a weekly paper travelcard. Peckham Rye and East Dulwich still sell weekly travelcards on paper with a photocard.

National Rail stations except for London Overground managed ones only sell weekly travelcards on Oyster via the machines. (Bar a minimum of NR stations, such as Wimbledon, East Croydon, Ealing Broadway and Richmond).

[youandiaredominoes]

Glad but also sad to see this debate I started raging on - I've posted here about the latest blot on the station. Only a fence, I know, but just another example of poor design and consideration of the environment of the station: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,1210050

I am sure local stations are getting busier and busier but Denmark Hill seems busier than ever and the design has not provided the additional space or flow required to deal with a demand which is large, particularly with high employment at the local hospitals and teaching colleges.

[cle]

BicBasher - but I don't have a photocard. I have an Oyster card like most Londoners.

One time when the queue was ridiculous, my train was imminent and the ticket man was twiddling his thumbs - he wouldn't sell me a weekly because of the photocard issue. So I skipped it and bought one in Victoria, having talked my way out of the barriers there.

They are completely archaic within the TfL area. Ticket offices should be uniform within Tfl zones, regardless of TOC and station management, fundamentally they should offer Oyster.

[James Barber]

After contacting Southwakr Council Planning Enforcement. They've been assured that the old staircases and pedestrian footbridge will reopen next week. Not clear which day next week but not long to go.

[edcam]

Thanks James - that will be a relief.

[El Pibe]

and a northern entrance....?

[cle]

James - can you find out the final plans please?

What additional (Oyster) ticketing provision there will be? Many miss trains due to the singular machine.

Cash machine?

Coffee shop back?

[James Barber]

Hi El Pipe,

They have no plans and ward councillors didnt suggest it.

Hi cle,

No further Oyster provision planned. Effectively they've reproduced what was there before but a much longer walk to stair ot platforms and lifts for those that need them.

No cashmachine.

Yes, they are talking aobut having a coffee shop back again.

[cle]

Thanks for the reply.

So if no cash machine or additional ticketing, what else will be filling the original ticket office (other than coffee stall) ?

FYI - here is the work at West Hampstead, which I've mentioned. Almost identical layout and set up - https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=west+hampstead+thameslink&client=firefox-a&hs=qc9&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=s8N7UoneJMiAhAeTooHwCA&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=894&bih=379#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=ijhIv6QBhfvifM%3A%3ByM8aI6lbPslEfM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fs3-media3.ak.yelpcdn.com%252Fbphoto%252Fka5wtftlyGHX-nW6YEyXfg%252Fl.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.yelp.co.uk%252Fbiz_photos%252Flandolt-and-brown-london-4%253Fselect%253Dka5wtftlyGHX-nW6YEyXfg%3B600%3B324

[lane lover]

I am not sure why we need more Oyster machines.

I have never used one - I prefer to use the internet where there are no queues.

Simple.

[the-e-dealer]

I prefer good old shank's pony me, no queues!

[LouiseC]

Hi James, I'm assuming there will be ticket barriers or 'touch ins' at the old/new entrance? Seems like an obvious thing I know but the rest has been such a monumental cock up it wouldn't surprise me if there wasn't....the final nail in the coffin! I have spoken to a couple of the staff there who have also fed back and complained but they have said it's falling on deaf ears and no-one's interested. What a terrible waste of money...