I've seen the plans for this, although unfortunately can't find any
pictures online. Plans are the the Lewisham Library for inspection
(ref DC/04/58571). The deadline to get comments in is tomorrow,
though, so be quick!

Basically the plans involve:

1. Demolition of the current station buildings at street level (and, I
think, at platform level but am not 100% sure of this).

2. Creation of a new ticket office at platform level on the south side
(i.e. going towards central London), and a modern, Fosteresque glassed
waiting area at platform level which will be visible from the street,
to improve security.

3. Restoration of the carriage ramp so people can walk along it to
gain access to the station.

4. The creation of a piazza in the area bounded by the High Street,
the current station and the carriage ramp, with cafés and other
businesses housed in the arches of the viaduct and the ramp.

5. Access to the platform for Dartford-bound trains will be through
one of the viaduct arches and up a flight of stairs, although there
will be full disabled access to both platforms.

It all looks well and good on paper, and basically seems like a good
plan. The only flaw I could see, though, was that it doesn't get rid
of one of the basic problems of Deptford Station, which is separate
access for the two platforms, meaning that it's not feasible to
install ticket gates. The reason for the ticket office being at
platform level on the London-bound side is to increase security, but
surely if the ticket office isn't going to be attended from first to
last train that's not a consideration, and if it is going to be
attended all the time, why not locate it at the bottom and create a
single entrance with ticket gates? Ticket gates would surely help
improve security at platform level.

I've fed that back, anyway, so will be interesting to see what the
response is!

Patrick

In article ,
The Only Living Boy in New Cross URL:mailto
[snip]

It all looks well and good on paper, and basically seems like a good
plan. The only flaw I could see, though, was that it doesn't get rid
of one of the basic problems of Deptford Station, which is separate
access for the two platforms, meaning that it's not feasible to
install ticket gates. The reason for the ticket office being at
platform level on the London-bound side is to increase security, but
surely if the ticket office isn't going to be attended from first to
last train that's not a consideration, and if it is going to be
attended all the time, why not locate it at the bottom and create a
single entrance with ticket gates? Ticket gates would surely help
improve security at platform level.

I don't know this station or it's area at all, but one sad feature of
rebuilding suburban railway stations is that they too often allow only ONE
entrance, so as to increase access control and economise on staff and
machinery. But in many cases, if walking in was allowed from all 4 corners, a
lot more destinations would come within reasonable walking distance, so
increasing the catchment area considerably. Self-service ticketing with
enforcement by inspection does away with this problem.

Michael Bell
--

Michael Bell wrote:

Self-service ticketing with
enforcement by inspection does away with this problem.

But (sadly) doesn't control access to the station, with results that
are only too clear at many suburban stations. I take the point about
catchment areas, though.

Michael Bell wrote in message ...
I don't know this station or it's area at all, but one sad feature of
rebuilding suburban railway stations is that they too often allow only ONE
entrance, so as to increase access control and economise on staff and
machinery.

I couldn't agree with you more, Michael; this sort of thing really
does annoy me too. One of the worst offenders would have to be
Hanwell Station; last time I used it (admittedly a couple of years ago
now) only one side was open, necessitating a long, indirect and
unnecessary walk through side streets to get to the station.

However, it's not really the case at Deptford as there is only one
entrance to each platform currently, and the two entrances are next to
one another on the High Street. As such, what I've suggested wouldn't
really restrict access in the way you describe.

Patrick

The Only Living Boy in New Cross wrote:

Michael Bell wrote in message ...

I don't know this station or it's area at all, but one sad feature of
rebuilding suburban railway stations is that they too often allow only ONE
entrance, so as to increase access control and economise on staff and
machinery.

And another is that they never seem to seize the opportunity to
reallocate some space to good, secure, covered cycle parking.

I couldn't agree with you more, Michael; this sort of thing really
does annoy me too. One of the worst offenders would have to be
Hanwell Station; last time I used it (admittedly a couple of years ago
now) only one side was open, necessitating a long, indirect and
unnecessary walk through side streets to get to the station.

Still the same. I think the south entrance was blocked before various
roads in the area were closed off to make driving to the south
entrance even more tortuous than walking to the north.

I don't know why it was blocked in the first place, but it definitely
needs looking at again.

[For those who don't know, the station is equidistant between two road
bridges under the railway. The roads connecting them via the north
entrance to the station are neither straight nor adjacent to the railway.]

Colin McKenzie