Safety review after ‘dangerous’ overcrowding at London Bridge

A REVIEW of passenger safety at London Bridge station was due to be held today after overcrowding left rushhour travellers in fear of being crushed.

Thousands were caught in chaotic scenes at about 5.30pm yesterday, which Network Rail blamed on train delays caused by a trespasser further down the line at Hither Green.

But passengers told the Standard that a “dangerous” situation developed as people tried to push up escalators onto platforms. A “total lack of information” from station staff increased the anxiety of people trying to get home.

Many passengers believe the situation has been worsened following the introduction of a new timetable on Southeastern trains last month. This forces thousands more passengers to change trains at London Bridge.

Steve White, Southeastern’s managing director, admitted it was the second time that “crowd control” had been required within days at the station.

He said: “The last occasion was when a points failure caused disruption. [Last night’s] disruption was due to an emergency call stopping all trains due to a trespasser. A review will be held.”

Lesley Walker, who was trying to catch a train to Hither Green, was caught in the crowds as she waited on the concourse trying to go up to platform seven. “I was about four or five people back from the start of the escalator,” she said. “People were shoving from behind. It was a ‘rock concert feeling’, where you are being pushed. I could see people around me were starting to look a bit panicked. I made a judgment I needed to get out of that situation. It was to my mind potentially dangerous.”

Suzanne Whitlock, a City worker who was trying to get to Clock House station in Beckenham, had arrived at London Bridge from Cannon Street and was trying to go down an escalator to change to a different platform. “I couldn’t believe people were going up the escalator when they could see the volume of people on the platform,” she said.

Ms Whitlock said the new timetable had doubled the length of her commute. Rather than catching a direct train from Cannon Street, she now has to “double back” and travel via London Bridge to Charing Cross — meaning she has to catch three trains to get home.

A spokesperson for Southeastern said: “An earlier trespasser on the line at Hither Green last night caused line closures, cancellations and delays… The trespasser was apprehended, with power restored to all lines by Network Rail and normal services resumed by 17:39.”

They apologised for any inconvenience to customers and said safety review would be held this morning with NR.

Danny Thorpe, a former leader of Greenwich council, called for Southeastern and the Department for Transport — which let the train firm change its timetable without consultation — to be hauled before the Commons transport committee. Sammy Backon, a borough councillor, tweeted: “Having been one of those passengers kettled at London Bridge, it is beyond unsafe. Please act before something terrible happens.”