Carlisle Station - Viaduct Ramp - Open for Pedestrians?

[bikesntrains77]

Is the ramp from the viaduct to the platforms at Carlisle station open for pedestrians?

I was planning on parking at the counci's "Upper Viaduct" Car Park as it's a lot cheaper than the station's own car park. However, my map suggests it's on the wrong side of the main station entrance, so could be a bit of a trek to the station unless the ramp / back-door provides a shortcut.

Any tips?

 

[Highlandspring]

It was shut off with a pallisade gate when I had the same idea as you last year...

 

[Bletchleyite]

I think there is an entrance from the car park at the back if that's less of a walk round? Looking at a map it's no further to walk than onto the bridge and down the ramp even if it was open (I too believe it isn't).

 

[bikesntrains77]

This suggests there's a back entrance, that makes use of the refurbished subway / lifts
https://www.carlislecarparking.co.uk/waterstreet.html

I'll likely risk it, leaving enough time to go round the front if needed.

 

[headshot119]

Is the ramp from the viaduct to the platforms at Carlisle station open for pedestrians?

I was planning on parking at the counci's "Upper Viaduct" Car Park as it's a lot cheaper than the station's own car park. However, my map suggests it's on the wrong side of the main station entrance, so could be a bit of a trek to the station unless the ramp / back-door provides a shortcut.

Any tips?

As a regular user of the station, not it's shut off.

 

[themiller]

The ramp is often shut off and the back way in via the tunnel is for staff only although I’ve known members of the local community to use it. In short, only the front entrance is officially for the public.

 

[Lemmy99uk]

I always use the upper viaduct car park if I’m using the station - there is no restriction on overnight parking do you can leave your vehicle there for £2.90 a day as opposed to Virgins £15.

It’s less than a 5 minute walk to the platforms, just use the subway on the viaduct to the back of the swimming pool, walk through the rear station car park and, before you know it, your in the subway and at the lifts.

 

[Roose]

The ramp is indeed not publicly accessible and Lemmy99UK correctly describes the quickest way to access the station and the west public entrance from the Upper Viaduct car park into the subway - which has been available for public use since the lifts were installed several years ago.

 

[Condor7]

The ramp is often shut off and the back way in via the tunnel is for staff only although I’ve known members of the local community to use it. In short, only the front entrance is officially for the public.

I use that back entrance through the rear car park on several occasions and have never seen a sign saying just for staff. On the contrary it is even marked out through the carpark with white lines and a silhouette of a walking person.

 

[themiller]

I use that back entrance through the rear car park on several occasions and have never seen a sign saying just for staff. On the contrary it is even marked out through the carpark with white lines and a silhouette of a walking person.

OK Condor7, I'll have to look into that next time I'm up there. I'd be quite handy for me on occasions.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I use that back entrance through the rear car park on several occasions and have never seen a sign saying just for staff. On the contrary it is even marked out through the carpark with white lines and a silhouette of a walking person.

It's also signed within the station as a passenger exit and shown on the Network Rail map online.

 

[themiller]

It's also signed within the station as a passenger exit and shown on the Network Rail map online.

I suppose that it wasn't signed when the lifts first opened which is the only time that I've been down in that subway (to be nosy)!

 

[QueensCurve]

It was shut off with a pallisade gate when I had the same idea as you last year...

I find that frustrating. In days of yore it was a useful shortcut from the city centre. I can't see why it needs to be blockaded.

 

[Condor7]

OK Condor7, I'll have to look into that next time I'm up there. I'd be quite handy for me on occasions.

Glad to be of help. Like you I find it very useful and something a lot don’t know about. Finding that short cut by what used to be Staples (last time I looked the Staples sign was still there) can be easily missed.

Another parking tip if you don’t mind a slightly longer walk from the viaduct carpark. Go down to Dunelm parking is free with no signs restricting how long you can say.
Or if you are uncomfortable with that there is a small little used carpark at the top of Crown Street where it meets Botchergate, you can almost miss it unless you are looking as it is walled off for the most. If you come up Crown Street towards Botchergate it is on the left just before the traffic lights.
It is only 80p an hour and only a short walk to the station.

 

[themiller]

Glad to be of help. Like you I find it very useful and something a lot don’t know about. Finding that short cut by what used to be Staples (last time I looked the Staples sign was still there) can be easily missed.

Another parking tip if you don’t mind a slightly longer walk from the viaduct carpark. Go down to Dunelm parking is free with no signs restricting how long you can say.
Or if you are uncomfortable with that there is a small little used carpark at the top of Crown Street where it meets Botchergate, you can almost miss it unless you are looking as it is walled off for the most. If you come up Crown Street towards Botchergate it is on the left just before the traffic lights.
It is only 80p an hour and only a short walk to the station.

That's the car park that I use most often when in Carlisle by road. The parking wardens are beasts in the city so it's not worth overstaying the time limits by even a minute if parking on-street!
I was told that one of the reasons for closing the ramp was that ne'er-do-wells have been known (when being chased by the boys in blue) to jump onto the tracks at platform 4, cross the lines, climb up onto platform 3 and leg-it up the ramp thus getting ahead of their pursuers who had to use the footbridge.

 

[fraser158]

I inadvertently used this entrance when I was at Carlisle on a rail tour. It must have been open to allow contractor access?

 

[themiller]

Just outside the gate is where the staff smokers congregate. Presumably they don’t always remember to lock it when the go back to work.

 

[bikesntrains77]

Thanks for everyone's advice, i'll be using Upper Viaduct as my go to car-park for Carlisle station now. For complete clarity:

• No - The ramp from the viaduct is gated and can't be used for pedestrians.
• Yes - The station can be accessed from the Westen Side using the subway and lift to access the platforms / ticket office etc.

Photos attached...

 

[themiller]

I had a look last week when I was up there. The subway is a bit of a labyrinth with very low ceiling in some places. I wouldn't like the look of it on a dark night with few people about and could imagine anti-social behaviour starting to appear in the future.

 

[Roose]

The subway is well-lit and with good CCTV coverage.

Many worse places in Carlisle to instil feelings of unease...

 

[Lemmy99uk]

One thing to note about the upper viaduct car park is that there are no restrictions on overnight stays, very useful if you are going away for a few days.

However, you can only buy day tickets from the ticket machines and so you need to download the app and pay for each individual day on line. I normally pay for my arrival day when I get there and then pay for any future days when I’m comfortably sat on the train.

 

[ItsGrimUpNorth]

Little heads up for those who do use the Viaduct car park when heading to Carlisle station, it’s now free parking after 3pm under a new trail introduced by the local council. Every little helps!

Free parking after 3pm, seven days a week, is now available in three Carlisle City Council car parks.

The Free after 3pm scheme aims to support high street businesses in Carlisle by encouraging more visitors to park-up and discover the many city centre attractions, shops and places to eat.

The pilot scheme started on Thursday 1 August 2019 and will run until the end of March 2020. It provides around 1,000 free parking spaces after 3pm in the following city centre based car parks (for all permitted vehicles):

Caldew Riverside;
Castle; and
Viaduct.

https://www.carlisle.gov.uk/news-and-events/park-for-free-after-3pm