Can I ask when you last went to Carlisle (which now looks much smarter than I ever recall)?
Meanwhile, back at the long-running 'favourite' of Birmingham New Street I can never understand why people can't get their head round it. Right back to its original opening and extension in the 19th century there has alway been 'one footbridge' giving access to and between all platforms, even when it crossed the Queens Drive roadway between the old L&NWR and Midland stations. The 1960s station perpetuated the concept but the single bridge was now within the 'paid area' and public access across the station existed in a different form through the Palisades shopping centre above. The 2000s rebuild has also provided an 'all platforms' interchange footbridge within the paid area - at the 'B' end. Public access across the station has now been restored to concourse level from Stephenson Street across the steps down to Station Street and Hill Street. Much better.
To cope with record numbers of trains and passengers as well as meeting modern standards of emergency egress there are now additional platform accesses at the 'A' ends. However, these cannot be 'continuous' whilst still allowing for direct access to the Bull Ring, Moor Street, bus stops and so forth.