On 14 May, 20:41, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Fri, 14 May 2010 11:23:08 -0700 (PDT), Jonathan Harris

wrote:
[1]http://www.ashteadresidents.org.uk/0410.pdf- Southern stakeholder
briefing
More automatic ticket gates on the network

We are installing automatic ticket gates at 15 stations this year.

[snip]

The gates are planned to be in use at the first station – Dorking – by
the end of April. The next stations a Bognor Regis, Three Bridges,
Angmering, Crawley, Shoreham-by-Sea, Hassocks, Falmer, Polegate,
Portslade, Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Ashtead, Leatherhead and East
Grinstead. There are later plans for Coulsdon South, Horley, Merstham,
Reigate and Oxted.

The only station on that list I am moderately familiar with is Burgess
Hill. I cannot conceive as to how they put any ticket gates in at that
station. The ticket hall is tiny as is the overbridge. *Putting revenue
inspectors in place causes a jam with even a moderate flow of people -
god knows what the AM peak demand level is like. *People will be queuing
back into the High Street to get into the station!

I dread to think what mess they are going to install.

Visit Brockley in the evening rush and you will get an idea of what it
will be like (can't remember if the gates were installed during
Southern management).

This is now run by London Overground, who are particularly strict
about shutting the accessible gate from the platform which everyone
used to use, and forcing everyone into the narrow bridge where the
barriers and ticket office are.

This is constantly jammed solid with people queuing all the way down
the stairs and on to the platform. I have complained that it's
dangerous, but the staff insist that they are "not permitted" to open
the gate from the platform (which has a Oyster pad).