Victoria named worst station in the UK

November 17, 2009

Manchester Victoria received the lowest satisfaction rating.

THE 10 worst railway stations in the country were named and shamed in a report out today.

Manchester Victoria received the lowest satisfaction rating, followed by Clapham Junction, in south London, and Crewe, in Cheshire, according to the inspectors' report, which calls on the Government to invest £50 million to carry out urgent improvements.

Transport Secretary Lord Adonis, who witnessed the dilapidated state of some stations when he toured the country by train last summer, is due to visit 10 of the worst performers today, beginning at Clapham Junction.

He said rail operators would be required to set basic minimum standards for all stations in future.

The others in the worst station list were Barking, Stockport, Preston, Wigan North Western, Liverpool Central, Warrington Bank Quay and Luton.

They were identified in a report by the Station Champions - Sir Peter Hall and Chris Green.

Lord Adonis said: "While touring the rail network in April this year, I was struck by the great variation in the passenger facilities at stations. Train travel has improved a good deal in recent years, but more needs to be done to improve conditions and services for passengers at stations.

"I want every station to be a good station - a hub of local community life and somewhere that you wouldn't mind spending time, with adequate facilities.

"I support the report's recommendations of minimum standards for stations - classed by size - in terms of information, car and bike parking, facilities and environment.

"I intend to make these minimum standards a requirement in future rail franchise agreements with train operating companies."

| Submit Comments | Comments (38) |

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

JohnB, Manchester (17/11/2009 at 11:38)

For everybody who actually knows Victoria station this is probably no shock.

tiggerluc, somewhere in shaw (17/11/2009 at 11:41)

Whats new- one of the main gate ways into mnachester - its just one big pigeon roost. Why cant it be redeveloped like Piccadilly?

We get promised money to re-build it but never happens. I remember the Vector tower that was supposed to be built at same time as the Nynex(MEN) arena...mmm what ever happened to that.

Get you act together MCC and Rail companies.

wayfarer, Rochdale (17/11/2009 at 12:06)

A total of £50 million is to be spent on 10 stations. And how much was spent on Manchester Piccadilly alone?

We constantly hear about the north-south divide in this country, but it's very real in Greater Manchester too. Victoria principal problem is that it lies in Manchester's neglected northern backwater, and the area that it serves by heavy rail has been constantly neglected by transport authorities for years.

want to leave, Stretford (17/11/2009 at 12:06)

tuggerluc, Victoria Station has been redeveloped, that's why it's a pigeon roost

Jay B, oldham (17/11/2009 at 12:08)

oh this will be an excuse to try and get another con charge in!!

15 years i have used victoria station for just before the bomb. it was in a state then. nothing has ever been done about it.
why wasnt it modernised when they put the metro through or when the nymex was build on top of it?

umpire 2, Salford M7 4HT (17/11/2009 at 12:14)

definitely no shock but about time that someone is going to put some money into the station, I am hoping the the MEN Arena will donate something since 95% of their customers come into their venue via Victoria Station

traffordtroublemaker (17/11/2009 at 12:26)

I would say that, while modernisation of Victoria is a must, I would hope that they can keep some of the old fashioned feel to the station. Some of the best stations I have been through and used - York, Newcastle, Bristol Temple Meads - are older stations where they have managed to keep some of the old charm while improving the service they offer. Having spent a lot of my childhood around Merseyside, I would say that Liverpool Central is far worse than Victoria. Granted it doesn't have the pigeon problem that Victoria suffers, but it is a dark, soulless place built out of black and dark brown/grey rubber and plastic and is the most depressing station I have ever been in. I would hate for Victoria to lose the Victorian charms, but I do agree some work does need to be done.

Lets not overdo modernisation - while up to date stations like Piccadilly are needed, we need to remember our heritage in inventing the railway, and one of the best ways of doing this is through keeping the charms of our stations.

Mark, South Manchester (17/11/2009 at 12:33)

£800 million was spent on London St Pancras, so £50 million on the 10 worst - is pitiful!!

John Coller (17/11/2009 at 12:48)

The frontage and the ticket office are the best features at Victoria and surely they will be retained. Whatever is done to the roof and the platforms the MEN arena is always going to look an eyesore and detract from the station.

JohnC, Urmston

JRHartley, location location location (17/11/2009 at 13:06)

No suprises here.... It'll take 50million just to get the gents toilets to a state where they can be used without the aid of wellington boots and a chemical warfare suit.

Tidders, Rochdale - VOTE NO to the Con Charge (17/11/2009 at 14:05)

the prblem with victoria station is that it is not locatd in london - they spent nearly a billion quid on the roof at st pancreas - 50 mill between 10 stations = some paint and a few brushes

Red Bear, Heaton Park (17/11/2009 at 14:21)

Poor Victoria has been deliberately allowed to go to ruin while all the energy and money went to Piccadilly. Of course they have more money and louder voices on the South side, but I might have hoped for more to be put in to Victoria especially when the recent Metro refurbishment was on, and they had a chance with a total Metro closure without making more disruption than they did anyway. But then I'm not paid £xK a year to think about it, am I?

Unite against the UAF (17/11/2009 at 14:22)

Victoria deserves the title of the worst station in the country especially the dark and depressing interior, the station is an embarrassment to Manchester which is supposed to be competing as an international city. Victoria has declined even further ever since it was relegated to trains that just serve the north west.

There is simply no comparison with stations in cities similar to Manchester such as Cologne in Germany with bars, shops, restaurants and a hotel.

tiggerluc, somewhere in shaw (17/11/2009 at 15:04)

Umpire 2 - thats a bit like saying 95% of Old Trafford users should pay towards the Metrolink stations/upgrade.

Vote for David, anywhere else but manchester please (17/11/2009 at 16:00)

Leave Victoria Station as it is,it looks grim and, like Manchester it is grim. Passengers will realise that life can only improve after this. Anyway most of the passengers that use it are from north of the city. The attraction to me is that it looks like a film set for Saturday night, Sunday morning or Brief Encounters, besides why do we need a glorified shopping mall such as the likes of Piccadilly Station

The Man, Sat on a chair (17/11/2009 at 16:05)

I think Lord Adonis has the best name ever!

ebble, manchester (17/11/2009 at 16:10)

I couldn't care less what a station looks like as long as the trains are reliable. Tarting up Victoria with lots of tacky shops selling overpriced rubbish won't improve anything.

Father Time, Elsewhere (17/11/2009 at 16:25)

tiggerluc, somewhere in shaw

Umpire 2 - thats a bit like saying 95% of Old Trafford users should pay towards the Metrolink stations/upgrade.

Err... No it's not. It's like saying a business that contributes massively by the station should provide something to its regeneration, as it will likely earn money from it in the long run

Bendroflumethiazide, manchester (17/11/2009 at 16:26)

I agree with all the things said about the North/ South divide - Some years ago the Vector Tower plan was mooted which would have stood above the existing railway station, retaining all the Victorian spendour of its facade and having a split level mezanine interior with the appropriate shops/ bars and cafe's etc, and properly linked in with the MEN Arena - In all, a development designed for a proper major city rail station. But no this was cancelled - why ? cos it wasn't London that's why !

Alex (17/11/2009 at 16:29)

Victoria train station is beautiful, let's not forget that despite Network Rail letting it get run down. Not just the exterior and ticket booths, look at the beautiful lettering, the old train route map, the amazing glass dome with marble and gold mosaic (despite the tacky pub and cafe inside).

It used to have an amazing independent cornershop, the Good Life, that sold snacks and drinks for all, home made and wrapped or from small suppliers, traditional sweets, etc...until they wacked the rent up SO much it had to close overnight...and has remained empty ever since. Apparently (according to station staff) with this move, and the empty premises at the Co-op entrance, they'd hoped for a Tesco Metro (NO THANKS!) It has still however got one of the city's only remaining independent tailor's shop.

The integration of the MEN Arena, and the tram line, are offensive. Yes it's dark and delapidated, but if you just look a bit harder, wonderful - polish and improve, but no crappy shops and bars please and knocking down of the good stuff.

Geoffrey Dron (17/11/2009 at 16:47)

Pity that Manchester City Council was so set against locating the new transport interchange at Victoria rather than Shudehill. The opportunity to create a truly integrated interchange (rail, metro, buses) was passed up. The undoubted design problems could have been dealt with by good architects.

C.O. Jones (17/11/2009 at 16:48)

Get some decent cask ale in the completely wasted bar area under the dome in the Cafe. It is Central Manchester and would surely be a fantastic success if it served something other than Euro fizz at inflated prices..

The guys in charge of these decisions need to get on one of their filthy, overcrowded rattlers up to the Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar and see what a proper station pub should be like.

If I had the dough and cared more, I would buy the franchsie myself!

Is It Me? (17/11/2009 at 16:52)

Adonis was a beautiful youth in Greek mythology! He doesn't look like one.Maybe Brown could change his name to Zeus(the father of the Gods--the farther away,the better) and Mandelson to Hydra(the nine headed serpent) or Blair to Apollo(the God of concert venues) or Cherie to Medusa(the foul gorgon) or Mr Leese to Narcissus(who loved no one but himself)-the non smoking himself,of course!

I digress,nothing wrong with Victoria.You pass through there,not live in it! It is a station,nothing more!

citycentre, manchester (17/11/2009 at 16:52)

What do people want from a railway station anyway? Personally if I can turn up, get on the train and get away, possibly with somewhere to stand out of the rain if the train is late (and even then I would prefer money spent on punctuallity rather than a pretty station tolook at while I wait) then thats fine for me.
Are there many journeys that involve changing at Victoria? If not then there is little reason to be hanging around there, and there are planty of bars and shops nearby already.

Noddy (17/11/2009 at 18:00)

I suppose that living in Canada makes my point of view a little different. I havent been in it in years but I have a photo of it, framed and on my living room wall. It's one of the finest looking buildings in the country and I hope they don't change the outside. As far as using it to travell, I'll just have to go on old memories.

()

Report

Public Transport