One-way systems - good and bad

[Cowley]

My local hardware shop has split the shop in two. So if you want a can of paint and some electrical stuff, it's impossible. You have to pick up your paint, pay for it, leave by the side entrance, re enter the shop, follow the other half of the one way system, pay for your electricals, and leave by a different side entrance. They are hardly busy in there, would have been much easier just to have a maximum number of people in the shop rule.

Sounds like a system devised by a tool...

 

[Jamiescott1]

Has anyone been to Marylebone station recently?

I was there this evening and could not work out how to get to the platforms. I entered the station and saw an arrow telling me to go to the left (ie. walk down towards the sports bar) and kept thinking I was getting to the end of the retractable fabric barrier to let me cross over and go back towards the platform because it was black and at a distance it just disappeared into the background. Once I got nearer it became clear that the barrier was just carrying on. Eventually because my train was about to go (and it was on platform 4 so I had a long walk once through the gateline) I had no choice but to duck under and head toward the gateline. There was hardly anyone at the station and none of the gateline staff or BTP said anything to me.

Travel through Marylebone daily. Most conmuters ignore the one way system, but friday morning we arrived at 0635 and they'd positioned 3 staff at the various entries / exits to the the one way system to ensure people actually follow it

 

[Bantamzen]

My local hardware shop has split the shop in two. So if you want a can of paint and some electrical stuff, it's impossible. You have to pick up your paint, pay for it, leave by the side entrance, re enter the shop, follow the other half of the one way system, pay for your electricals, and leave by a different side entrance. They are hardly busy in there, would have been much easier just to have a maximum number of people in the shop rule.

Personally I would have picked up the paint, gone to the counter & asked how I could get some electrical goods. Once told I would have to pay for the paint, leave then re-enter I would explain in a calm manner that I no longer require the services of the store until they found a way of making it possible for people to buy what they wanted without their silly, and completely un-scientific one way system.

 

[adc82140]

That's actually what I did, left the paint on the counter, went out and back in again, got my electrical cable and paid for them both. But you have to plan your visit there now with military precision to avoid repeatedly entering and exiting the shop. It's a shame, as up to now that's been a really good local hardware store I could walk to. A few pence more than the big DIY chains, but the fact I didn't have to get in the car made up for it. I'm afraid that it'll be Screwfix click and collect from now on.

 

[Cowley]

It's a shame, as up to now that's been a really good local hardware store I could walk to. A few pence more than the big DIY chains, but the fact I didn't have to get in the car made up for it. I'm afraid that it'll be Screwfix click and collect from now on.

I’ve actually found Screwfix quite irritating too because sometimes I think of other things I need when I’m on my way there.
Toolstation however (who more often than not are cheaper than Screwfix) are allowing customers into the shop in Exeter but just with a limit on numbers so I’ll be using them for the time being.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

Sounds like a system devised by a tool...

 

[trainophile]

These one way systems in shops are forcing us to make shopping lists! I just disobeyed the footprints stuck on the floor in the local Co-op as I forgot I needed milk. Luckily there was no-one else in the aisle I backtracked down, and I doubt anything would have been said if there had been. The socially distanced queue for the one checkout however blocked me from the bread section, so rather than grab a loaf as my turn to pass it came, as I wanted to check dates and see what the offers were, I waited until the queue had died down.

I think half the people enforcing these things aren't really clear why.

 

[Fokx]

My biggest bugbare at the moment is the system at Leeds station. I have been route learning around the Leeds area travelling on different stopping services which means I’m having to travel on multiple trains from multiple platforms.

For example:
My train arrived on 8c, having unable to visit the toilet onboard due to trying to build route knowledge, and toilets on 8c are closed so I had to travel to platform 12 over the east footbridge, but then my next train is from platform 16 so it’s then back over the west footbridge, across platform 8 again, up and over the East footbridge and down to 16 again. Absolute madness.

The staff patrolling this system have allowed me to travel against the flow due to being in uniform, but I’d rather not do this where I reasonably can, as before you know it I’d end up being posted about on a social media page complaint.

Don’t even get me started on the main entrance toilets being female only and gents are required to use the portable blocks which are far from sanitary.

 

[trainophile]

When I was at Leeds last week all the platform toilets were shuttered and I was directed to the external ones, where I had to queue for about 10 minutes. Poor woman behind me was desperate as the one on the train she had arrived on was out of service, so I let her go in front of me. Everyone was complaining. When I came out they were letting a few men through, and the queue had died down.

You don't want to be on the wrong end of your inbound train if you have a short connection time, both times I found myself alighting right by the "no entry" stairs and had to do a big loop. Lucky I had enough time, but it would be awkward if you only had the minimum 10 minutes, or wanted to chance your luck catching an hourly service that departed in five minutes.

 

[johntea]

Today my train at Leeds arrived at 17B and I had a connection on 10B

Luckily there seem to be less ‘stair guards’ patrolling on Sunday so I just went the sensible route other than all the way across the station to the back end of P8 then having to walk all the way down P10!

It’s nonsense

 

[Smidster]

Without trying to go too off topic I would argue these are the types of restrictions and rules which really annoy people and if you got rid of them it would both make life feel much better and have no impact on transmission. I suspect I am not the only one who gets anxious about being shouted at if I don't know "the system" and as such prefer to just avoid those situations.

Leeds station is a prime example - if you got rid of that system, while still emphasising the importance of distancing, everything would feel so much better.

 

[johntea]

OK Leeds station well and truly took the biscuit yesterday!

The train was sat at Platform 6C, which I approached only to be shouted out 'ROUND THIS SIDE MATE!', after responding my train was 6C 'yep you still need to go round this side of the barrier and loop round near the lifts'

Just...WHY?!

 

[trainophile]

Came through Leeds today and it looked like they have scrapped the one way system, as no barriers apparent at the foot of any of the escalators. I didn't leave my train so couldn't be sure, but everything was pretty quiet there.

 

[yorksrob]

Came through Leeds today and it looked like they have scrapped the one way system, as no barriers apparent at the foot of any of the escalators. I didn't leave my train so couldn't be sure, but everything was pretty quiet there.

Oh, that'll be handy if true. On occasions the trek round to platform 17A when rushing for a train has almost finished me off.

 

[Crossover]

Visited our local (soon to close down) branch of WH Smith today - walked in to find a bewildering array of arrows in tape on the floor with seemingly the only one immediately available being one towards the checkout. The store isn't small and there were a sum total of two customers and two staff (myself included) so I elected to abandon working out what they had intended and went and found what I was looking for

Came through Leeds today and it looked like they have scrapped the one way system, as no barriers apparent at the foot of any of the escalators. I didn't leave my train so couldn't be sure, but everything was pretty quiet there.

Oh, that'll be handy if true. On occasions the trek round to platform 17A when rushing for a train has almost finished me off.

I will be passing through Leeds again tomorrow so I will check it out and report back. The barriers were still around on Sunday when I was last in the station

 

[yorksrob]

Visited our local (soon to close down) branch of WH Smith today - walked in to find a bewildering array of arrows in tape on the floor with seemingly the only one immediately available being one towards the checkout. The store isn't small and there were a sum total of two customers and two staff (myself included) so I elected to abandon working out what they had intended and went and found what I was looking for





I will be passing through Leeds again tomorrow so I will check it out and report back. The barriers were still around on Sunday when I was last in the station

I have to go into the office tomorrow, so will see as well !

 

[trainophile]

Advance apologies if it turns out I was wrong about Leeds, but the adjacent platforms to where my TPE dwelt for a couple of minutes seemed to have hardly anyone around, and I couldn't see any barricades by the escalators, nor the usual staff members planted there just to tell people to go away.

This pandemic has certainly generated a new category of employment... standing around telling people what they can't do. I would say nice work if you can get it, but I think it would drive me potty.

 

[Crossover]

Advance apologies if it turns out I was wrong about Leeds, but the adjacent platforms to where my TPE dwelt for a couple of minutes seemed to have hardly anyone around, and I couldn't see any barricades by the escalators, nor the usual staff members planted there just to tell people to go away.

This pandemic has certainly generated a new category of employment... standing around telling people what they can't do. I would say nice work if you can get it, but I think it would drive me potty.

The one way system of Leeds has become significantly less "in your face" the last few weeks. Would be nice if it had been knocked on the head!

 

[Kite159]

The one way system of Leeds has become significantly less "in your face" the last few weeks. Would be nice if it had been knocked on the head!

You mean the bouncers employed solely to shout "keep left" as soon as you enter the area beyond the gate line have gone? Such a wonderful way to greet passengers.

2nd only to some of the bouncers at Clapham Junction who love the sound of their own voice directing passengers on the overbridge

 

[Hadders]

The nonsensical one way system was scrapped at Kings Cross a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately the silly one way system to the Underground at Finsbury Park is still in operation meaning an 8 minute walk is required to get from the National Rail platforms to the Underground platforms. Although I understand the desire to separate incoming and outgoing passenger flows this completely breaks down on the staircases to the platforms as two way flows still exist. Absolute farce.

 

[johntea]

If I have a connection in Leeds now I just throw caution to the wind and go whichever route I can get away with, it becomes like a game of Pacman with the ghosts dressed in yellow jackets

They are still OBSESSED with Platform 6 for some reason, now having gone to the effort of painting 'NO ENTRY!!!111' on the floor of the platform

 

[Crossover]

If I have a connection in Leeds now I just throw caution to the wind and go whichever route I can get away with, it becomes like a game of Pacman with the ghosts dressed in yellow jackets

They are still OBSESSED with Platform 6 for some reason, now having gone to the effort of painting 'NO ENTRY!!!111' on the floor of the platform

Love the analogy!

Platform 8 was the one for me on Sunday (off a TPE - very unusual!) where they were ushering everyone to use the exit near Rail Gourmet

EDIT: 10/12/20 10:34

I will be passing through Leeds again tomorrow so I will check it out and report back. The barriers were still around on Sunday when I was last in the station

The situation at Leeds remains as it has for the last few months - the barriers remain at the bottom of the main staircase/escalators

 

[trainophile]

Love the analogy!

Platform 8 was the one for me on Sunday (off a TPE - very unusual!) where they were ushering everyone to use the exit near Rail Gourmet

EDIT: 10/12/20 10:34



The situation at Leeds remains as it has for the last few months - the barriers remain at the bottom of the main staircase/escalators

They must have been on their tea break when I came through yesterday then. Honestly there wasn’t a soul about. It was platform 16 just after midday. Perhaps that platform is exempt from the human chess game?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Crewe still had a one-way system off P1-4 a month ago just before the national lockdown. Whether it still does is another matter. It's not very effective though as you have many people congregating outside WHSmith and the waiting room!

 

[yorksrob]

Love the analogy!

Platform 8 was the one for me on Sunday (off a TPE - very unusual!) where they were ushering everyone to use the exit near Rail Gourmet

EDIT: 10/12/20 10:34



The situation at Leeds remains as it has for the last few months - the barriers remain at the bottom of the main staircase/escalators

Reports of the Leeds one way system's demise have been somewhat exagerated !

 

[Kite159]

I can remember using Leeds one Sunday morning back in September time where they had blocked the gap in the fence near the gateline so if you entered and wanted a train from P1-5 you needed to do the grand tour. Likewise if you wanted to change you had to exit via the gates and then re-enter.

Although when I returned a few hours later the gap had been reopened.

 

[Skimpot flyer]

The nonsensical one way system was scrapped at Kings Cross a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately the silly one way system to the Underground at Finsbury Park is still in operation meaning an 8 minute walk is required to get from the National Rail platforms to the Underground platforms. Although I understand the desire to separate incoming and outgoing passenger flows this completely breaks down on the staircases to the platforms as two way flows still exist. Absolute farce.

They still have this??
It used to take me under a minute from NR gateline to tube platform via the spiral staircases, but they are still out of use.
Surely a sensible decision would be to make them one-way only, preferably in the downward direction, as passengers transferring up from tube level to NR platforms could use the present route, which involves climbing stairs anyway?

 

[Hadders]

They still have this??
It used to take me under a minute from NR gateline to tube platform via the spiral staircases, but they are still out of use.
Surely a sensible decision would be to make them one-way only, preferably in the downward direction, as passengers transferring up from tube level to NR platforms could use the present route, which involves climbing stairs anyway?

The one-way system was still in place at Finsbury Park on Wednesday, took me 8 minutes to walk round to the Goodwin Street entrance that you are mandated to use. Many wouldn't feel safe walking that route at night, especially females.

There are two spiral staircases to each set of platforms so it can't be that hard to make one up and one down, or alternatively as you suggest make them both one-way down to the platforms.

Someone really needs to get a grip of this.

 

[Mag_seven]

The one-way system was still in place at Finsbury Park on Wednesday, took me 8 minutes to walk round to the Goodwin Street entrance that you are mandated to use. Many wouldn't feel safe walking that route at night, especially females.

There are two spiral staircases to each set of platforms so it can't be that hard to make one up and one down, or alternatively as you suggest make them both one-way down to the platforms.

Someone really needs to get a grip of this.

I noticed a potential issue the other week. There are Oyster readers at the top of each spiral staircase. You could inadvertently touch in there and then realise that you can't go down the staircase and then have to use the Goodwin St entrance as directed. The problem is there is a barrier line there meaning you have to touch in again......

 

[Jamesrob637]

I noticed a potential issue the other week. There are Oyster readers at the top of each spiral staircase. You could inadvertently touch in there and then realise that you can't go down the staircase and then have to use the Goodwin St entrance as directed. The problem is there is a barrier line there meaning you have to touch in again......

Did you report it or Tweet the station's owner/operator?