Denmark Hill station: Beyond a joke

[LouiseC]

Does anyone else out there feel the situation at Denmark Hill is beyond a joke? Between the new entrance, which has taken over 18months and seems to have ground to a halt, the lack of station staff, overcrowding (especially on staircases, which surely must be a fire hazard) and constant last minute change of platforms, causing many people to completely miss trains, I think something seriously needs to be done. Can anyone advise where to complain because South Eastern don't seem to care one iota? Is this something our local government can help with?

[mamafeelgood]

Amen, totally agree. 1 ticket machine that tops up oyster too, madness.

[Bic Basher]

If as expected, the DfT decide to award TfL the Southeastern part of the metro franchise in the summer, we may see the management of the station change to London Overground in 2015. This won't affect Peckham Rye or Queens Road Peckham which will be managed by the new integrated Thameslink and Southern franchise.

[lane lover]

I agree - its a total clusterf-k.

Once the new entrance is complete, I imagine the bottlenecks will improve. I also hope they open up the main ticket hall - the two doors (one at each end) are just too small).

I just hope its sooner rather than later!

[KidKruger]

It's a mess there especially when crowded, but they are clearly working on it and soon it should improve.

Maybe not as quick as people would like but it IS happening so be glad.

People using the station could make life a lot easier for everyone including themselves by applying basic courtesy and less selfishness IMO.

And the station worker who struts around the ticket hall, bossing the place comes over as bit of a d!ck.

[edcam]

Also only one Oyster card reader working for over a week now, so it's become even more of a bunfight to get in or out. This added to the stupidity of the general public in not having the sense to stick to the left on the stairways and in the passages means that almost every day I witness bottlenecks and some f***wit tutting becasue others have the cheek to try and get into the station when they are trying to get out.

[Mick Mac]

The new trains to Clapham Junction now compete with the Victoria trains for platform 1 - hence last minute platform changes - and complete mayhem.

[RichJ]

I agree, it's regularly total carnage there. Does anyone know what actually got done to the ticket hall while it was closed for a good few months last year last year when the temporary blue footbridge was erected. I assumed it was closed to widen the two doors, so was pretty surprised when months later it re-opened looking exactly the same!

[bigdavid]

What about the bloody bench that sits horizontally across the central platform right at the bottom of the stairs!?! As if its designed to be an obstacle...

[emza78]

I wrote in and complained about the last minute platform changes to the 830 to Victoria, it ALWAYS goes from platform 1 so why say platform 3 up to 828, at which point there's a million people on the stairs and its impossible to get back to platform 1!

I got a reply from southeastern saying it was down to network rail and they'd forwarded on my letter, still hasn't changed anything yet tho!

[Zebedee Tring]

Why do they announce that the Victoria and/or Clapham Junction trains will be going from Platform 3 when affter leaving DH the trains initially occupy the same tracks London bound? I thought that Platform 3 was almost exclusively for Thameslink trains (or whatever they call themselves this week).

[Nigello]

Good for emza for doing something other than whining on vainly on an internet forum. Write a letter, speak to the manager on the day, reprimand selfish people for not following the 'this way' signs, but don't just bang on about it here. It is the definition of a waste of time.

[youandiaredominoes]

The refurb seems to have been going on for yonks!

As others have said the bottlenecks coming in and out of the station is simply awful. Problem is you have the dawdlers who take ages walking out of the station, and have no lane discipline (stick to the left!) and then the impatient types (such as myself) who try to overtake them. There is just not enough space for different people at the station.

The main ticket hall is an utter shambles. Only one ticket machine for such a busy station, queues for the machines, ticket kiosks and coffee shop block up the route. Then you also have a tiny antiquated screen with updates of usually 3 pages - so those who want to check for their imminently departing train have to look up and wait for the right page to load.

The work on the station should have been finished by September 2012 but has dragged on and it seems like it will never end! What's the hold up?? There's loads of workmen during the day but there is cripplingly slow progress. I can only suspect that there is a lack of funds to complete it. A few years ago Clapham Junction was voted the worst station ... Denmark Hill could soon replace it if work doesn't get a move on sharpish.

[LouiseC]

Hi Nigello, perhaps I wasn't clear enough in my initial post but I haven't just "whined vainly on an Internet forum" I have actually complained to South Eastern trains and as I have had no response was hoping people on the forum could give some advice or feedback on both their experiences and knowledge on next steps of who to contact. This is becoming not just an inconvenience but a Health and Safety issue (in a real way not a 'jobsworth' way) apologies for my vain whining but clearly others feel the same way.

[ianc]

I regularly complain to them (email mainly) about the last-minute platform changes. The thing that concerns me about them is that most young/fit folks manage the mad dash to change platform. But those who are older, or travelling with kids, get trampled under foot or just don't feel they'd be able to make it. The last minute changes also encourage folks to linger on/near the stairs, knowing they'll need to use them. Or, worse still, at the top of the stairs in that narrow corridor.

I feel that if they stopped the last-minute platform alternations, it would be a much more usable station. Fixing that factor alone would help greatly.

[workingmum]

Couldn't agree more about the platform changes, always seems to happen when my disabled and elderly mum is trying to get home...shes missed so many trains due to platform changes. now she has to stand at top of stairs blocking the already narrow walkway until the very last minute.

Also did you know that they are throwing the nice coffee guy out, after 9 years, presumably so they can get a big faceless chain in paying rubbish wages to indifferent staff....

[cle]

Is there any update on when trains from Victoria might run later than 19:39?

Have emailed SE Trains who've assured me it's gone to their timetable planning manager. Hassled them on twitter too. i suggest many people do the same!

It should run to 11/12 and with 4tph.

[FACEBOOK]

I arrived there this morning at 9.00am, unbelievable!!!

Denmark Hill is an accident waiting to happen, the station is a DEATH TRAP.

There are not enough exits. It took over ten minutes to leave the station as all sections to the ONE and ONLY exit were completely full this morning, as commuters from most of the platforms filled all the gangways to the exit. There were commuters also trying to come in and make their way down to the platforms.

The station needs another exit, preferably one that allows the short-cut to Kings Cross hospital, where the temporary one was, whilst the station was under construction some time back.

This station with 4 busy platforms is a death trap, goodness knows how anyone with a disability would cope, considering many use this station for access to Kings college hospital.

[DulwichFox]

.. and with most of the walkways to the platforms exposed to the elements. (the sloppy bits)

what will it be like with snow and ice.. in the midst of Winter..

At least the old Victorian stairways were covered..

DulwichFox..

[Earl Aelfheah]

The entrance being on the main road is dangerous too.

[Bic Basher]

Thameslink replaced Southeastern in operating the station since December 2014. Worth giving them complaints at the link below.

http://www.thameslinkrailway.com/contact-us/

Why London Overground didn't get this station to operate beggers belief.

[JohnL]

Thameslink not having a good time. Trains delayed until the next set of customers arrive - then two trainloads waiting for one train makes the platforms crowded. I Complained this morning - saying surely not congestion at the root cause - but reply said it was.

[Angelina]

it's also serviced by London Overground trains, so Transport for London have a vested interest (whether it's their station or not)

[Bic Basher]

Angelina Wrote:

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

> it's also serviced by London Overground trains, so

> Transport for London have a vested interest

> (whether it's their station or not)

They can certainly pressure Thameslink for improvements, but it's down to Thameslink and Network Rail to ensure the station is being managed properly.

[apod]

I really liked the old station, it was charming and full of character; I still wouldnt mind the new station, if at least the trains were on time.

I cannot recall my 8.04 train being on time in the last 6 months and Thameslink could not care less.