Stop / Go Boards

We have previously sat down with some members of Newham’s Safety Advisory Group to discuss the reasons for the Stop / Go boards, their implementation and what could be done to improve supporters’ frustrations in the walk back to the Stratford stations.

Contrary to many fans’ beliefs, the Stop / Go boards are not there just to antagonise the supporters, but are a vital part of ensuring the safety and effective crowd management during the egress from the Stadium after a match.  Spectator safety remains a key focal point for park operations management; this is in relation to stadium football matches and the ingress/egress route, security, safety and spectator flows.

Stratford station layout is complicated following a history of ad hoc expansion over the years. The real issue of capacity is at pinch-points occurring at the stairs/escalators and at the ticket barriers. People using the stairs will be walking slower than the people approaching the stairs. Also the infirm and elderly or those carrying luggage will also traverse the stairs and escalators at a much slower pace. The train capacity and frequency (195 trains per hour) and platform capacity are not currently a factor in potential overcrowding.

Whenever the pinch-points reach their capacity, there has to be a temporary hold on further passengers entering that point.  To stop any further build-up of people, the waiting passengers are stopped at holding points.  These holding points have to be in safe unconfined areas where the crowd can easily be managed.  The immediate holding points are at the entrance to the station, typically the Northern Ticket Hall and sometimes at the Mezzanine Ticket Hall.  To further ease congestion on the Northern Ticket Hall, passengers for the Jubilee and DLR are directed over the Town Centre Link Bridge towards the Mezzanine Ticket Hall.  To stop further flows of supporters into the holding points, then additional holding points are enacted further back on Montfichet Road and at The Stich by Westfield Road.

Holding points at The Stich and Montfichet Road

So when there is a potential for overcrowding within the station, an instruction is sent out by London Underground staff to the Park Operations Centre (POC).  They in turn instruct the stewards at the various holding points to stop the flow of supporters.  So whilst there may be no apparent reason why supporters are being held at The Stich with the way ahead appearing perfectly clear, it’s actually the subsequent holding points that are not moving.

Why are supporters prevented from using Westfield to access the station?

Part of the planning approval for the use of the Stadium going back to The Olympics, is that there should be no real detrimental effect on other residents and businesses of Newham: therefore Westfield passengers have priority in use of the station.  It is also unsafe to attempt to implement a holding point within the confines of Westfield. That means supporter egress through Westfield has to be stopped and supporters directed to use alternative routes.

What are the plans to improve passenger flow and the impact of the proposed increase in capacity of the Stadium to 62,500 and beyond?

LLDC has established the Last Mile Strategic Group with LB Newham, LS185, Westfield and TfL. This is a strategic group at a senior level looking at crowd movements on the Park and between the Stadium and the stations, and at long term improvements to arrangements. It is proposed that this forum will also provide oversight to the plans for improvements to Stratford Station which LLDC is working with TfL to progress.

It is not just the use of the Stadium that the station infrastructure is being considered. Stratford is at the centre of London’s rapid growth eastward. It is emerging as a regionally and nationally significant innovation and business district and by 2050 it is anticipated 25 per cent of London’s population will be housed in the area.

Key to the success of Stratford is its National Rail and Underground station. Passenger activity has tripled at the station over the last ten years and demand is forecast to increase further with the introduction of new and more frequent rail services.

Successful regeneration and commercial growth in Stratford is dependent on the station being able to operate efficiently and with sufficient capacity. The station is now at a point where lack of capacity and indirect connections to neighbouring areas risk inhibiting growth in Stratford.