Muriel, a manager in the food and beverages sector who was heading home to Chester, said the new departure boards aren’t visible from the station’s main seating area or the cafes on its mezzanine level, and that she much preferred the old system.
She said: “Euston’s a relic of the last century with a big shiny screen. It’s quite impressive to look at but you soon realise that there are only four ads up there, and you quickly get bored.”
Grant Rowley, head of communications at a major sporting body, said he doesn’t object to Network Rail pursuing commercial deals provided proceeds were reinvested in the railway.
However, Mr Rowley, who is based in north-west England, said he was frustrated by Avanti’s constant cancellations and that overcrowding means he often has to stand throughout the two-hour trip back to Warrington even after paying more than £300 for an anytime ticket.
A spokesman for Network Rail said that Euston was designed for another era and inevitably required major investment and modernisation. The station opened in 1837 but was demolished in the 1960s and replaced with the current brutalist structure.
The spokesman said: “During times of disruption there simply isn’t enough room for passengers and we know this can make for an uncomfortable and unpleasant environment.
“We will continue to work with our train operating colleagues to make further improvements as well as developing plans for the long-term future of the station.”
Network Rail is understood to be studying initiatives to speed up boarding times in a working group that includes Avanti and Euston’s other main operator, West Midlands Trains.
One option under consideration would be to reveal which platform a train will leave from while it is being prepared, allowing passengers to head in the right direction earlier than they do now and reducing dwell times on the concourse.
Other enhancements are set to see the removal of more retail outlets to create extra space – a number of shops located on the concourse itself having already gone.
A UK spokesman for JCDecaux didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.