There was a campaign to open the gate - it ran for ten years and I was involved with it every tortuous step of the way along with other members of the Sydenham Society. The Train Operators opposed opening the gate every way they could.
It was only when the Operators were virtually ordered to open the gate by Len Duvall, our GLA member, that they relented.
Sorry that the campaign wasn't loud enough to have reached you Digital FX but it DID exist.
We have ever increasing numbers of people using Sydenham Station. Numbers will increase even more when the ELL appears. A gate on the up platform is necessary if only to "draw off" some of the inevitable overcrowding that is already evident at the ticket office. We need greater access to our station, not less.
I welcome the suggestions made above to photograph and publicise current overcrowding at the ludicrously small barrier which has been erected in the ticket office.
Oyster Card introduction shut station gates
I've been a reader of the forum since I moved here at the end of last year, my frustration at the inadequacy of new barriers has forced me to join and share my experience.
Every day when I return from work in the evening peak, I approach the barriers and my oyster card (zone 1-3 travelcard) doesn't work. It works fine at London Bridge and all other stations...
Over the last few days the attendants have asked me to use the adjacent barrier (causing more delays for the others squashing in behind) or ask me to step back a good yard and try again (something that isn't required on barriers on the busy Northern Line for example).
Tonight when I tried and failed, I told the attendant it never works at Sydenham and he replied "its these barriers, they're rubbish. Thats a technical term"
I'd have been tempted to use rather a stronger adjective, its bad enough the barriers cause great congestion, not to mention the much-discussed issues of access on plaform 1, but they don't even work properly!
Every day when I return from work in the evening peak, I approach the barriers and my oyster card (zone 1-3 travelcard) doesn't work. It works fine at London Bridge and all other stations...
Over the last few days the attendants have asked me to use the adjacent barrier (causing more delays for the others squashing in behind) or ask me to step back a good yard and try again (something that isn't required on barriers on the busy Northern Line for example).
Tonight when I tried and failed, I told the attendant it never works at Sydenham and he replied "its these barriers, they're rubbish. Thats a technical term"
I'd have been tempted to use rather a stronger adjective, its bad enough the barriers cause great congestion, not to mention the much-discussed issues of access on plaform 1, but they don't even work properly!
In these increasingly Orwellian times, would it be illegal to stage a sit-down protest over on Platform 1 one workday evening? Unfortunately, as there are so few facilities over there; that after climbing over the footbridge we'd need to sit down on the platform to recharge!
We could even have a little sing-song and invite some friends from the media along?
We could even have a little sing-song and invite some friends from the media along?
Gaz wrote:In these increasingly Orwellian times, would it be illegal to stage a sit-down protest over on Platform 1 one workday evening? Unfortunately, as there are so few facilities over there; that after climbing over the footbridge we'd need to sit down on the platform to recharge!
We could even have a little sing-song and invite some friends from the media along?
Yes, unfortunately it probably is illegal. At best it will be civil trespass at worst it will leave you liable to arrest under teh byelaws or the public order act.
Last night I was lucky enough ot be one of the first few people through the barriers. I then watched the absurd bottleneck that formed. Fortnuately after about 10% of people went through they then opened the barriers. People were still held up though.
I saw a chap having a chat with the staff today explaining how absurd the situation was. As much as I have been tempted to join in and/or do that myself I very much doubt it would do much good and I'd end up winding myself up quoting pieces of legislation at them. The best thing ot do is take it to the top. If I don't hear anything in reply to my complaint withint 28 days of sending it then I'm gonig to write to the ombudsmun. If I have no joy with that then I'll consider taking private legal action and/or a class action may well be in order.
But if that chap who got on the 0851 this morning to LB is on here, good for you for informing the woman with abuggy that she could use the side gate on platform 1...
Despite having two members of staff manually checking tickets, the backlog at the platform 2 barriers at about 6.30pm last night was massive - some people gave up and sat down on the benches for a few minutes until it cleared. When I passed back that way about 20 minutes later they'd given up and opened the barriers.
I don't know how you'd get into the station if you happened to want to catch that train - it'd be at Penge before you'd be able to get on the platform!
About half a dozen staff standing aimlessly at the ticket barriers again this morning. What a farce!
I don't know how you'd get into the station if you happened to want to catch that train - it'd be at Penge before you'd be able to get on the platform!
About half a dozen staff standing aimlessly at the ticket barriers again this morning. What a farce!
I haven't been able to read through the whole of this thread, so apologies if I am reapeating what has already been stated.
When I first started commuting from Sydenham in 1985 (sad, I know) you needed to flash your ticket to a ticket inspector in the morning, and again in the evening. Tickets in those days were big thick blue affairs, with a state-of-the-art date stamp on them, showing the expiry date.
There would be one inspector (a friendly Asian bloke, if my memory serves) looking for out of date tickets, and the commuters would funnel through the main exit.
23 years on, we now have state-of-the-art electronic gates AND about half a dozen ticket inspectors AND still a funnel of commuters shuffling through the main exit. Isnt technology wonderful?
I can only assume that the inspectors are a temporary thing, until the gates are over their 'teething problems', and then they will disappear. Once this happens, we will still have the shufling commuters, with none ticketed travellers loitering at the back until the exit is free, and then they will vault the gates.
As an aside, you can spot the Sydenham commuters at London Bridge, as they all get on the third carriage from the front; if you get off at the second door, then you are right in front of the barriers - and first through them. A lot of people are out of their seats as soon as the train is pulling out of Forest Hill too, in an attempt to beat the crush.
Adaptable creature, the commuter.
When I first started commuting from Sydenham in 1985 (sad, I know) you needed to flash your ticket to a ticket inspector in the morning, and again in the evening. Tickets in those days were big thick blue affairs, with a state-of-the-art date stamp on them, showing the expiry date.
There would be one inspector (a friendly Asian bloke, if my memory serves) looking for out of date tickets, and the commuters would funnel through the main exit.
23 years on, we now have state-of-the-art electronic gates AND about half a dozen ticket inspectors AND still a funnel of commuters shuffling through the main exit. Isnt technology wonderful?
I can only assume that the inspectors are a temporary thing, until the gates are over their 'teething problems', and then they will disappear. Once this happens, we will still have the shufling commuters, with none ticketed travellers loitering at the back until the exit is free, and then they will vault the gates.
As an aside, you can spot the Sydenham commuters at London Bridge, as they all get on the third carriage from the front; if you get off at the second door, then you are right in front of the barriers - and first through them. A lot of people are out of their seats as soon as the train is pulling out of Forest Hill too, in an attempt to beat the crush.
Adaptable creature, the commuter.
Until recently, I had a very dodgy Oyster season ticket which only worked on the 3rd or 4th swipe, if at all. I got it changed for a new one (they don't like doing it - you have to insist) last week and now it works on all barriers, including Sydenham, like a dream.
Oyster cards do deteriorate. If yours is quite old, this could be the problem with the barriers at Sydenham.
Liz
Oyster cards do deteriorate. If yours is quite old, this could be the problem with the barriers at Sydenham.
Liz
My apologies Poulet - I'd forgotten about the Oyster season tickets.
I think we need to get a list of problems and I will arrange a meeting with TFL at Sydenham Station to go through these with them (It is TFL rather than Southern who are in charge of the system).
The problems as I see them are:
1. The new gate on the up platform. Can TFL/LBL build this ASAP? How exactly will it work?
2. Is the existing barrier in the ticket hall big enough to handle the number of passengers coming off trains, particularly during the evening rush hours? It doesn't look to be adequate if staff are merely opening the gates wide when they are overwhelmed by passengers. (We need evidence of this in photographs or videos)
3. Why are the barriers malfunctioning with seasonal Oyster cards and some paper tickets?
Are there any other points to raise?
I think we need to get a list of problems and I will arrange a meeting with TFL at Sydenham Station to go through these with them (It is TFL rather than Southern who are in charge of the system).
The problems as I see them are:
1. The new gate on the up platform. Can TFL/LBL build this ASAP? How exactly will it work?
2. Is the existing barrier in the ticket hall big enough to handle the number of passengers coming off trains, particularly during the evening rush hours? It doesn't look to be adequate if staff are merely opening the gates wide when they are overwhelmed by passengers. (We need evidence of this in photographs or videos)
3. Why are the barriers malfunctioning with seasonal Oyster cards and some paper tickets?
Are there any other points to raise?
With regards to a new gate on Platform 1 - surely any new barriers on this platform would need to be manned whilst they were in operation?
If this is the case, what is fundamental difference to cost and revenue protection between manned barriers and the manning the current gate (with an unbarriered oyster reader for PAYG purposes).
Incidentally, even under the current system platform 1 will need an oyster reader for PAYG touch-in for those gaining access via the side gate intercom, so the station isn't actually PAYG-ready yet.
If this is the case, what is fundamental difference to cost and revenue protection between manned barriers and the manning the current gate (with an unbarriered oyster reader for PAYG purposes).
Incidentally, even under the current system platform 1 will need an oyster reader for PAYG touch-in for those gaining access via the side gate intercom, so the station isn't actually PAYG-ready yet.
4. why are gates the answer? Why can't we just have "stand alone" Oyster card readers?nasaroc wrote:My apologies Poulet - I'd forgotten about the Oyster season tickets.
I think we need to get a list of problems and I will arrange a meeting with TFL at Sydenham Station to go through these with them (It is TFL rather than Southern who are in charge of the system).
The problems as I see them are:
1. The new gate on the up platform. Can TFL/LBL build this ASAP? How exactly will it work?
2. Is the existing barrier in the ticket hall big enough to handle the number of passengers coming off trains, particularly during the evening rush hours? It doesn't look to be adequate if staff are merely opening the gates wide when they are overwhelmed by passengers. (We need evidence of this in photographs or videos)
3. Why are the barriers malfunctioning with seasonal Oyster cards and some paper tickets?
Are there any other points to raise?
I've had exactly the same problem on both of the regular sized barriers at Sydenham, and when the ticket inspectors check it on their machine it flashes up ok - I got the Oyster card around Christmas and have NEVER had problems on any other barrier. This only happens on exitting the station, not entering. My girlfriend has had the same problem too.poulet wrote:Every day when I return from work in the evening peak, I approach the barriers and my oyster card (zone 1-3 travelcard) doesn't work. It works fine at London Bridge and all other stations...[/b]
I spoke to one of the inspectors about this morning and he said they had a few problems with the new barriers and someone is supposed to be coming to look at them today.
I assume the gates are still open in Forest Hill as they are doing a gradual implementation of the barriers across the affected stations? All the staff at Sydenham station aren't usually based there, are they?
I got to the station at approx 6pm on Tuesday to catch a train to London Bridge. All three barriers were in use for the passengers who had just come in - admittedly there were lots of people and the usual backlog of people trying to get out of the station - but by the time they let us through (I had to ask several times) there were quite a few of us waiting to get into the station too. I'm 7 months pregnant so need to factor extra time in now for crossing the footbridge and we could have missed our train as a result of the delay.
When we came back at 11.30pm the side gate on Platform 2 was open and the main entrance shut - what's the point in having barriers and all the hassle they cause if they're only used for part of the day anyway?!
I got to the station at approx 6pm on Tuesday to catch a train to London Bridge. All three barriers were in use for the passengers who had just come in - admittedly there were lots of people and the usual backlog of people trying to get out of the station - but by the time they let us through (I had to ask several times) there were quite a few of us waiting to get into the station too. I'm 7 months pregnant so need to factor extra time in now for crossing the footbridge and we could have missed our train as a result of the delay.
When we came back at 11.30pm the side gate on Platform 2 was open and the main entrance shut - what's the point in having barriers and all the hassle they cause if they're only used for part of the day anyway?!
Indeed, all other issues aside, I think it should be apparent that Sydenham station simply isn't large enough or laid out properly to accomodate enough barriers for the traffic going through at peak times. Things were backed up in both directions this morning as well, and there wasn't a thing that the 4 ticket inspectors could do about it but apologize to the people who missed their London-bound trains.randomv wrote:I got to the station at approx 6pm on Tuesday to catch a train to London Bridge. All three barriers were in use for the passengers who had just come in - admittedly there were lots of people and the usual backlog of people trying to get out of the station - but by the time they let us through (I had to ask several times) there were quite a few of us waiting to get into the station too. I'm 7 months pregnant so need to factor extra time in now for crossing the footbridge and we could have missed our train as a result of the delay.
I still don't know who it is that they're so concerned about catching either. All the major stations and most of the minor ones in London have barriers, and there are inspectors on most of the trains past East Croydon. I doubt that there are enough people going between, say, Honor Oak Park and Sydenham to lose Southern any more than a miniscule amount of money that is doubtless made up for by the continual price increases paid by season ticket holders.
I couldn't agree more Boon.
the crush at rush hour is absurd....I have no objection to going through barriers per se but the inconvenience and detention that is suffered whilst going through the barriers is absurd, and, in my opnion, probably unlawful.
Why can't they just open them between the hours of 0700-0900 and 1700-1900 ?
That would solve most of the problems of bottlenecking.
the crush at rush hour is absurd....I have no objection to going through barriers per se but the inconvenience and detention that is suffered whilst going through the barriers is absurd, and, in my opnion, probably unlawful.
Why can't they just open them between the hours of 0700-0900 and 1700-1900 ?
That would solve most of the problems of bottlenecking.
Wow! 177 posts on this thread to date - I might as well wade in 
I brought the over-crowding up at the Meet the Managers session at London Bridge and judging by the reaction I got I wasn't the first person to bring it up. It's a completely absurd situation and well done all of you who have been challenging them. If I can be of any assistance please let me know.
I brought the over-crowding up at the Meet the Managers session at London Bridge and judging by the reaction I got I wasn't the first person to bring it up. It's a completely absurd situation and well done all of you who have been challenging them. If I can be of any assistance please let me know.