Pedestrian flow analysis at Norwich

National Express have declared in their justification statement for the barrier application at Newcastle that the Scheidt & Bachmann gates they propose to install are capable of letting through "up to" 33 people a minute. Apparently, they've even conducted a "pedestrian flow analysis" to show how well the gates will be able to cope with the number of people using them.

However, passengers in Norwich, where barriers were put in recently, no longer have to wait - they can experience the benefits of the "safety and security" of the barriers at first hand. So secure, in fact, that passengers arriving on the 18.22 from London Liverpool Street had to wait several minutes to get out of the station after arriving.






Here is a description from one passenger, forwarded by Richard Malins:


On Friday 9th May a full trainload of passengers alighted the 16.30 from Liverpool Street at around 18.22 at Norwich station platform 2. (It was particularly full as the 1600 from Liverpool street had been cancelled due to train failure.) Because of the ticket gates it took at least 3 minutes for most people to pass through the ticket gates. There are 5 gates opposite platform 1. However the wide gate was broken and barricaded off. (And was still that way on Monday 11 May at 9am.) Because of the layout, it is difficult for passengers exiting platform 1 to use the second set of gates. So around 400 passengers were trying to get through 4 gates. The photos attached show what it was like, with timings. It took me from 18.23 to 18.27 to exit, and then only because I managed to get to the other set of gates which had been set on open. Needless to say there was no ticket check! I suspect the Meteor Agency staff gave up and just opened all the gates. And there had been no ticket checks on the train.

One passenger standing next to me said, quite unprompted, I used to look forward to arriving at Norwich and know I was home. Not any more. (He had a large airline style ticket.)

One consolation for Norwich fans. The Ipswich gates come into operation on 12 May!

So obviously plenty of benefits to look forward to if NXEC are allowed to install the gates at York and Newcastle. So safe and secure, even the passengers can't get through them!