London Euston’s vast advertising screens are to be switched off as Network Rail promised to turn round the station after scathing criticism from passengers and watchdogs.
The garish overhead displays were installed in January after the station’s main departure information boards were removed.
The transport secretary, Louise Haigh, demanded action after the passenger champion London TravelWatch warned that people were being put in danger from high levels of overcrowding. The watchdog said this week that passengers were having to rush to platforms because of last-minute announcements and staff often appeared “overwhelmed by the sheer number of people” on the crowded concourse.
The station serves one of Britain’s most important but underperforming rail services, Avanti West Coast runs intercity trains to Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow from there, and frequent delays and cancellations have exacerbated problems.
Plans to rebuild the station have been put on hold because of questions about the scope of the HS2 high-speed rail network, which was originally due to terminate there but whose status remains uncertain.
Network Rail and the Department for Transport have announced a five-point plan to improve the functioning of the station for passengers in the meantime, acknowledging the station’s “major need of overhaul” and uncomfortable and unpleasant conditions for passengers.
The plan includes reviewing passenger information and shutting down the overhead advertising boards; reviewing boarding announcements; more concourse space and toilets; unifying station operations during disruption; and increasing the reliability of trains using Euston.
Haigh said: “For too long, Euston station simply hasn’t been good enough for passengers.
“That’s why I’ve tasked Network Rail with coming up with a clear plan to immediately improve conditions for passengers. This includes a shutdown of the advertising boards from today to review their use.
“We know Euston needs a permanent solution and are working hard to agree this – but these immediate steps will help to alleviate some of the issues the station has been facing.”
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Gary Walsh, the route director for West Coast South, said: “Passengers haven’t received the experience they deserve at Euston recently and we need to do better.
“Our five-point plan will help improve things for passengers in the short-term by creating more space, providing better passenger information, and working as an industry to improve the reliability of train services on the west coast mainline.”
Network Rail is still working on plans and funding options for a big upgrade of the existing station in the long term.
The announcement comes after a post on X by the Guardian journalist Barney Ronay calling Euston “easily the worst main station in western Europe” went viral, being met with widespread heartfelt agreement.