[Flyteryder]

(Original post by patrickinator)
plus you would lose advertising revenue from the other side of the platform. plus people would complain that we are run by a nanny state.

Put the advertising on the blank walls on the actual platform side; there normally isn't anything on these walls except for one tube map. I doubt people would complain we are run by a nanny state for improving their safety, as well as making the stations look better.

[richiemayne]

Maybe in the future, but right now our public services are broke and the money would be better spent on other things. I agree in principle though.

[ConnorB]

(Original post by CyclopsRock)
Every year, three or four people die on the tube by accidents - on average. It serves over a billion people a year. To put that into context, when the M25 opened, it had on average 4 deaths a year per kilometre of road. All life is sacred (etc) but financial resources are finite, and a line has to be drawn somewhere.

I completely agree, however I do think stations such as Kings Cross, Picadilly Circus, Covent Garden should have barriers because of the sheer volumes of foot-traffic that occur in these stations.

[electriic_ink]

(Original post by Flyteryder)
You'd rather the government spend tax payers' money on things like HS2 which only benefits wealthy businessmen, and new London buses which are unsafe with people falling out of the back of them, rather than barriers which would save lives? Boris wants the old style buses back with the giant hole and pole at the back, and is willing to pay millions for them. About 10 people died every year on these buses by falling out the back when they were around.

The government doesn't have a fixed budget. By raising or lowering taxes, it could fund all or none of these projects so to make argument like "wouldn't you rather government scrap policy X and spend money on policy Y instead?" doesn't make sense

And, fwiw, the "10 deaths a year" statistic is useless without knowledge of how many people die every year as a result of bendy buses. 10 deaths is also tiny. 200 people die every year from "accidental drowning".

[lonelykatana]

(Original post by patrickinator)
plus you would lose advertising revenue from the other side of the platform. plus people would complain that we are run by a nanny state.

No need to lose advertising revenue.
These barriers are installed on most newer subways around the world.

Having said that, I don't think we need them. The cost is shockingly high, and it the problem of deaths on the track is pretty small (and I say that with all due respect to those who have been killed on the track. But things have to be put into comparison!)
How many of the deaths are jumpers, out of interest?

[danny111]

(Original post by Witty Username)
I've seen them malfunction quite a few times. The last time I was on the Jubilee line the commuters had to prise them open at London Bridge to leave as they didn't open

I took the Jubilee for 3 years of uni. Those situations where doors don't open occur, but so rarely, and I've never seen someone not get out.

[GeekyNick]

I would really like to see this introduced. It probably isn't really that much of an issue in the grand scheme of things - if loads of people were getting hurt/killed I would hope something would have been introduced. Still I don't feel very safe when standing next to the track.

I guess the reason they only have them at a few stations probably comes down to technological issues,cost and the disruption is would cause? Hopefully we will see more of them as they continue to upgrade stations.

[canŵio]

I don't really see what the issue is - it's mostly a matter of common sense; don't stand past the yellow line until the train is there. if you feel like you're being jostled then move back or take a bus. I've lived in London for 19 years and never felt in any danger, even at stations like Victoria, King's Cross St Pancras or Hammersmith which all get really busy.

It isn't really a danger - almost nobody gets pushed into the tracks by accident. The real danger is stupid people. Should we lock up all the stupid people, as they're a danger to the public?

[HeyyImRyan]

Before anyone acuses me of being pro-HS2 or anything as a reason for not wanting them everywhere - HS2 ruins the beauty of the county I live in, and will mean 18 high speed trains (I think?) per hour passing through my town - not even stopping to benefit our community.


Although the barriers are great, they're only on the Jubilee line but will also be on the Crossrail service which is currently in the drilling process and will go through Central London. I assume while they're installing it to Paddington, Tottenham Court Road etc. they'd hopefully take that time to add barriers to all the other lines as well as the Crossrail and Jubilee.

It's something that needs to be addressed due to drunks, suicides and the shocking murders of people who are actually pushed onto the tracks when trains approach by scum of the earth cowards who couldn't even kill people themselves and had to resort to pushing them in front of a mass of metal.

However, the tube has a lot of problems - congestion, infrequency, delays, over-heating etc. It needs an entire refurbishing and personally the work being done is being done too slowly. The Picadilly line for example, makes me almost faint every time I use it due to the overcrowded carriages and for some reason the hottest ones too (On par with the Victoria line). The new Met line trains counter this and I expect they'll be introduced onto more lines in the future, just wish it was quicker!

[Unkempt_One]

(Original post by HeyyImRyan)
Before anyone acuses me of being pro-HS2 or anything as a reason for not wanting them everywhere - HS2 ruins the beauty of the county I live in, and will mean 18 high speed trains (I think?) per hour passing through my town - not even stopping to benefit our community.

It's importance as an infrastructure project transcends that of pretty countryside. Not to say HS2 is necessarily a good solution but its getting ridiculous how much infrastructure development in this country is being crippled by NIMBYs.

[Aphotic Cosmos]

(Original post by Flyteryder)
You'd rather the government spend tax payers' money on things like HS2 which only benefits wealthy businessmen, and new London buses which are unsafe with people falling out of the back of them, rather than barriers which would save lives? Boris wants the old style buses back with the giant hole and pole at the back, and is willing to pay millions for them. About 10 people died every year on these buses by falling out the back when they were around.

HS2 doesn't just benefit wealthy businessmen just like HS1 (which I use monthly) doesn't just benefit the European elite. I appreciate being able to get from the heart of rural Kent to the middle of North London in less time than it takes for me to walk to work in the mornings (no, seriously). HS2 links into HS1 and will create a new avenue for tourism both in the cities it connects, and for the people of those cities when choosing their next destination, especially if they are environmentally conscious or have a fear of flying/hatred of airports/etc.

You can't just invest inwards in London, you know. There are 53m people living outside of the borders of the capital, and we need transportation as well. HSR is a fantastic way to improve capacity, particularly for international trains, and we should have much more of it in the works to form a new rail backbone.

It's not that expensive, especially with a railcard and planning in advance, and I really appreciate having it there since the trains into Charing Cross and Victoria are dreadfully slow, overcrowded and stop at every village in Kent and Surrey.

[HeyyImRyan]

(Original post by Unkempt_One)
It's importance as an infrastructure project transcends that of pretty countryside. Not to say HS2 is necessarily a good solution but its getting ridiculous how much infrastructure development in this country is being crippled by NIMBYs.

I agree, but by how much does it reduce travel time between Birmingham and London compared to Virgin railway trains? Even Chiltern trains take less than 35 minutes more - so is it really?


If it wants to cut through a town and cause the town to need restructured roads, and have an area of outstanding natural beauty be totally destroyed by monstrous train tracks and viaducts, then it should be a requirement that a mid-way station should be added. I'd happily accept it if this were the case, even if it was only a couple of trains an hour which stopped in the town and 'fast' trains didn't

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

I agree, I really like the barriers as they're great

(Original post by ConnorB)
I completely agree with you.

On the basis that I seem to have this involuntary action of hugging the wall of of the platform on this freakish idea that I'm going to fall into the tracks. I don't get it on outside tracks or the NY Subway. Think it's got something to do with the curved walls.

I'm weird.

(Original post by Flyteryder)
You're not weird; I always hug the walls of tube platforms too because I'm so scared of falling onto the tracks! It's even worse for me on overground train stations where really long and really fast cargo trains rush through; I hug a pole on the platform as hard as I can because I'm scared I'll be swept onto the tracks by the air currents.

Sorry if I sound daft, but how on earth do you hug the walls of a Tube platform?

[Unkempt_One]

(Original post by HeyyImRyan)
I agree, but by how much does it reduce travel time between Birmingham and London compared to Virgin railway trains? Even Chiltern trains take less than 35 minutes more - so is it really?


If it wants to cut through a town and cause the town to need restructured roads, and have an area of outstanding natural beauty be totally destroyed by monstrous train tracks and viaducts, then it should be a requirement that a mid-way station should be added. I'd happily accept it if this were the case, even if it was only a couple of trains an hour which stopped in the town and 'fast' trains didn't

Eh, I suppose that's fairly reasonable. I just think the improved capacity is important, and that the speed and efficiency of the trains will remove psychological barriers to rail travel and travel in-between major cities.

[Flyteryder]

(Original post by CherryCherryBoomBoom)
I agree, I really like the barriers as they're great






Sorry if I sound daft, but how on earth do you hug the walls of a Tube platform?

Backwards hug anything that sticks out of the wall, or if nothing like that is available, I face the wall with my back and spread my arms out across the wall so that I'm touching it as much as I can

[Beebumble]

I just think they need maybe a ramp or something between some trains and platforms. Sometimes the gap is so wide I have to jump. I have no idea how someone elderly or disabled is able to get off and on!

[ocelotrevs]

The main issue prevent installation of these things, as mentioned, is the time, cost, space and complexity.
Installing them would be pretty impractical for very small gain.

(Original post by The Mr Z)
They're great - however the reason we only have them in the more modern stations is actually a heat issue - they insulate the tunnel area very well, so you're going to build up a lot of heat in the tunnel and on the train, and you're also going to be a blast of very hot air every time they open. This could be an issue in summer when it increases the risk of causing heatstroke - that's already a problem on the tube.

Obviously once we can sort out a cooling system for the tube then it'd be idea to have them. (However both of these are quite expensive systems to implement, and will take a long time)

Also, there's a certain character that the older tube lines have that you'd loose if you put plastic barriers everywhere. (I don't think that's really a great excuse, but I'd like to see a more discrete version developed)

Heating in modern stations isn't an issue with this, as modern stations and tunnels are much more open and allow much better heat circulation. Also, the top of these barriers are usually open.

[Beebumble]

(Original post by canŵio)
[B]

It isn't really a danger - almost nobody gets pushed into the tracks by accident. The real danger is stupid people. Should we lock up all the stupid people, as they're a danger to the public?

Now there's an idea.

[CherryCherryBoomBoom]

(Original post by Flyteryder)
Backwards hug anything that sticks out of the wall, or if nothing like that is available, I face the wall with my back and spread my arms out across the wall so that I'm touching it as much as I can

Um, OK. Aww, you seem way too worry-some. Why don't you just sit down on a chair or bench, and then you're less likely to fall anywhere?

[Flyteryder]

(Original post by CherryCherryBoomBoom)
Um, OK. Aww, you seem way too worry-some. Why don't you just sit down on a chair or bench, and then you're less likely to fall anywhere?

Have you ever tried to find a vacant chair or bench at St Pancras underground station, Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road or Leicester Square? They're the only 4 stations I ever go to, and there are so many other people there it's impossible to find anywhere to it on the platform! I will sit down if possible though.