Leeds station improvement updates

[YorksLad12]

Forgot to mention this one last week - hoping someone else has spotted it.

The advertising screen outside Pret on the North Concourse had a sign saying that the Uber pick-up point was two minutes away, pointing towards the South Concourse.
When I came back that evening, there was a sign on the South Concourse saying that the Uber pick-up point was two minutes away, pointing at the North Concourse. The sign outside Pret was still there.

Is there a special Uber pick-up point (two minutes away underneath the ticket office, if the signs are to be believed), or is just the 10-minute "kiss & ride" lane where the taxis currently are?

 

[xotGD]

Forgot to mention this one last week - hoping someone else has spotted it.

The advertising screen outside Pret on the North Concourse had a sign saying that the Uber pick-up point was two minutes away, pointing towards the South Concourse.
When I came back that evening, there was a sign on the South Concourse saying that the Uber pick-up point was two minutes away, pointing at the North Concourse. The sign outside Pret was still there.

Is there a special Uber pick-up point (two minutes away underneath the ticket office, if the signs are to be believed), or is just the 10-minute "kiss & ride" lane where the taxis currently are?

I noticed last week that the signs were pointing in opposite directions.

But as I don't use Uber I just shrugged and walked on.

The Greggs looks to be doing well at breakfast time.

 

[Bungle965]

The Greggs looks to be doing well at breakfast time.

I concur, passed it this morning and was doing a good trade.

 

[YorksLad12]

It's been an interesting month or so outside the station - both ends.

Round the back, the portable building and waste skip near the former canal branch have gone. The area's been cleaned, de-weeded, repainted and marked out with bays for emergency vehicles only. The emergency vehicles are all staying up by the loading bay, but there you go. A few Network Rail vans have found it useful though.

Around St Patrick's Day, 24 appropriately green-coloured portable buildings went up, along with verandahs over each door. No idea what it looks like from the platform side, and there's not much happening except further deliveries and crane movements.

The barriers to the surface car park are open, which must be confusing to the people who ignore the signs telling you not to park on the road, if they ignore the one on the outside and drive through to park up there for a while!

Finally, the clock on the tower the new bit around the front now has hands!

 

[Iskra]

It's been an interesting month or so outside the station - both ends.

Round the back, the portable building and waste skip near the former canal branch have gone. The area's been cleaned, de-weeded, repainted and marked out with bays for emergency vehicles only. The emergency vehicles are all staying up by the loading bay, but there you go. A few Network Rail vans have found it useful though.

Around St Patrick's Day, 24 appropriately green-coloured portable buildings went up, along with verandahs over each door. No idea what it looks like from the platform side, and there's not much happening except further deliveries and crane movements.

The barriers to the surface car park are open, which must be confusing to the people who ignore the signs telling you not to park on the road, if they ignore the one on the outside and drive through to park up there for a while!

Finally, the clock on the tower the new bit around the front now has hands!

It’s also been announced that the new stairs out front are delayed.

 

[YorksLad12]

It’s also been announced that the new stairs out front are delayed.

Ta. I was trying to find a link to that. Might give them time to get the clock working

 

[Grumpy]

Picture of clocktower-

 

[Iskra]

That does look pretty nice!

 

[Llandudno]

Passed through Leeds station last Monday and whilst changing trains mid morning and early evening decided to grab a coffee outside the gate line and I can’t recall seeing as many beggars and shady looking characters lingering inside the station before.

I made the mistake of using the toilets near M&S around 8pm and there was a foul mouthed altercation taking place between two people in one men’s cubicle!
I mentioned it to the ‘security’ person guarding the entrance to the toilets who just shrugged and said I know they have been in there for ages!

I think I will use the toilets and have a coffee trackside in future!

 

[duffield]

Passed through Leeds station last Monday and whilst changing trains mid morning and early evening decided to grab a coffee outside the gate line and I can’t recall seeing as many beggars and shady looking characters lingering inside the station before.

I made the mistake of using the toilets near M&S around 8pm and there was a foul mouthed altercation taking place between two people in one men’s cubicle!
I mentioned it to the ‘security’ person guarding the entrance to the toilets who just shrugged and said I know they have been in there for ages!

I think I will use the toilets and have a coffee trackside in future!

I think it's pretty much the golden rule to always use the toilets inside the barriers at any station if it's possible.

 

[route101]

Passed through Leeds yesterday. Never noticed a Greggs. Was looking for a bin and ended up finding one outside the station.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Passed through Leeds yesterday. Never noticed a Greggs. Was looking for a bin and ended up finding one outside the station.

It's opposite the Sainsbury's in the row with Macdonald's and Wetherspoons.

 

[route101]

It's opposite the Sainsbury's in the row with Macdonald's and Wetherspoons.

Couldn't see the wood from the trees.

Greggs are certainly expanding their stores in stations.

 

[xotGD]

Passed through Leeds yesterday. Never noticed a Greggs. Was looking for a bin and ended up finding one outside the station.

There's a bin on the bridge, behind the retail outlet closest to Platform 8.

Not sure if there are any others.

 

[yorksrob]

Passed through Leeds station last Monday and whilst changing trains mid morning and early evening decided to grab a coffee outside the gate line and I can’t recall seeing as many beggars and shady looking characters lingering inside the station before.

I made the mistake of using the toilets near M&S around 8pm and there was a foul mouthed altercation taking place between two people in one men’s cubicle!
I mentioned it to the ‘security’ person guarding the entrance to the toilets who just shrugged and said I know they have been in there for ages!

I think I will use the toilets and have a coffee trackside in future!

If sat outside one of the food establishment, I sit as far away from the cordon/barrier as possible to avoid being asked for money.

 

[route101]

There's a bin on the bridge, behind the retail outlet closest to Platform 8.

Not sure if there are any others.

I see, this was before the barriers. There may have been one in the toilets.

 

[YorksLad12]

Some more interesting happenings on the Wellington side of the station. The single-storey portable buildings (which the lorries had to squeeze past when building the large one) have now all gone. The emergency vehicles seem to have vacated their spot near the turning circle. Is something happening there, I wonder?

Down by the river, the footpath up to the station will be closed off for 12 months from 20 April. I assume that is in conjunction with the Princes Exchange refurb (see notice, must have gone up today or yesterday afternoon) as it includes the path down the side of the building. And there's some artwork going up!

 

[thejuggler]

Not sure where exactly you mean, but the drop off/taxi area is due to be closed temporarily as the area is needed for a compound.

 

[GoneSouth]

Where are taxis going to be available?

Thanks.

 

[YorksLad12]

Not sure where exactly you mean, but the drop off/taxi area is due to be closed temporarily as the area is needed for a compound.

Interesting. I thought the surface car park was the compound; it's got the Harris fencing up, and there's a new entrance/exit been made through a gap in the fence and a bit of dropped kerbing, presumably to allow plant to move in and out easily. You'd hope the new taxi rank was available, at least, before closing the existing one off.

The bit that's closed off from the 20th is the footpath up from Aire Street between Princes Exchange and the neighbouring building, plus the steps up from the river. Sounds as if the work compound is expanding, so no through route between the river footpath and the station until after next Easter...

Where are taxis going to be available?

Who know - they might set up a stand on the access road, most of them wait there now (further down), unless the new rank on Neville Street is ready.

 

[Grumpy]

The main escalator was out of use again this morning. Had to stagger up the steps to reach platform 9 for the Kings Cross train when there didn't seem to be much action on 6 or 8. Seemed to be a lot of people asking where platform 9 was-signage need reviewing?

 

[YorksLad12]

The main escalator was out of use again this morning. Had to stagger up the steps to reach platform 9 for the Kings Cross train when there didn't seem to be much action on 6 or 8. Seemed to be a lot of people asking where platform 9 was-signage need reviewing?

It wasn’t working last Monday evening either.

The signage is fine, especially the large “9” on the footbridge I guess they’re used to seeing the LNER trains on 6 & 8.

 

[GoneSouth]

It wasn’t working last Monday evening either.

The signage is fine, especially the large “9” on the footbridge I guess they’re used to seeing the LNER trains on 6 & 8.

The signage at Leeds is definitely not fine. Yes, the large numbers on the bridge are helpful to know which stairs to descend to your platform, but when you’re dumped out of a train not knowing what platform you’re on it’s a different story. The platform numbers are definitely not very visible down at platform level.

 

[Spartacus]

The signage at Leeds is definitely not fine. Yes, the large numbers on the bridge are helpful to know which stairs to descend to your platform, but when you’re dumped out of a train not knowing what platform you’re on it’s a different story. The platform numbers are definitely not very visible down at platform level.

Agreed, it makes just changing trains there much more difficult than it should be.

 

[thejuggler]

Where are taxis going to be available?

Thanks.

Info I had was on Princes Square by the multi storey car park. This is currently the taxi holding area for when the official drop off is busy.

 

[duffield]

The signage at Leeds is definitely not fine. Yes, the large numbers on the bridge are helpful to know which stairs to descend to your platform, but when you’re dumped out of a train not knowing what platform you’re on it’s a different story. The platform numbers are definitely not very visible down at platform level.

Yes, for the benefit of those passengers who don't use (e.g.) RTT to see what platform they're routed into, it would only be a tiny tweak for the on-train announcements (when made manually at least) to be extended to "We are now arriving at Leeds platform N".

 

[Ian Hardy]

Yes, for the benefit of those passengers who don't use (e.g.) RTT to see what platform they're routed into, it would only be a tiny tweak for the on-train announcements (when made manually at least) to be extended to "We are now arriving at Leeds platform N".

That would require the train crew to be proactive and they would probably want an extra allowance if they were being forced to make a new specific announcement.

 

[GoneSouth]

Yes, for the benefit of those passengers who don't use (e.g.) RTT to see what platform they're routed into, it would only be a tiny tweak for the on-train announcements (when made manually at least) to be extended to "We are now arriving at Leeds platform N".

Yes, that would be nice.

Also, the announcements at New Street a few days ago were advising not to rely on platform information on apps as the data was inaccurate. I guess a live data feed problem somewhere along the line so it’s not 100% reliable. It’s not ideal if the apps are wrong and the signage is woeful, so yes, just announce it please.

 

[Vexed]

Also, the announcements at New Street a few days ago were advising not to rely on platform information on apps as the data was inaccurate. I guess a live data feed problem somewhere along the line so it’s not 100% reliable. It’s not ideal if the apps are wrong and the signage is woeful, so yes, just announce it please.

RTT would generally be accurate, most other sites (including National Rail) might not be because Birmingham New Street is currently disconnected from the central passenger information system (Darwin) which is what most apps use.

 

[YorksLad12]

The signage at Leeds is definitely not fine. Yes, the large numbers on the bridge are helpful to know which stairs to descend to your platform, but when you’re dumped out of a train not knowing what platform you’re on it’s a different story. The platform numbers are definitely not very visible down at platform level.

Agreed, it makes just changing trains there much more difficult than it should be.

This might be me being a local, but there are platform numbers on all platforms (including A/B/C/D extensions) and I've never not noticed one. Platforms 7 and 17 are a bit hidden (P17 in particular, because you have to double back on yourself), but I can't think of any platform where I've not been able to work out where I am when I got off a train. I suppose the question is, which station does it best that we can copy? I think as well that Leeds hasn't had the full Rail Alphabet 2 treatment yet.

Yes, for the benefit of those passengers who don't use (e.g.) RTT to see what platform they're routed into, it would only be a tiny tweak for the on-train announcements (when made manually at least) to be extended to "We are now arriving at Leeds platform N".

You do, sometimes (but not often) get a manual announcement along the lines of "We're arriving at platform 11D, and the doors will open on the left-hand side" - more of those as a rule would be helpful, especially for passengers on LNER and XC services who might be making a connection.