Has the newish large Gatwick Airport circulating area above platforms 5 to 7 ever got very busy due to disruption or large crowds?

[infobleep]

I tried to find an earlier thread but couldn't locate it.

Now that the larger circulating area at Gatwick Airport above platforms 5 to 7 has been open for sometime, has the space there ever got busy with lots of people? It's large enough to hold a reasonable number.

Am I right in thinking it was made that big for times of disruption and large crowds? Has it seen any use for that yet?

My parents used it recently and were questioning why it was so big as they didn't see anyone much there. I don't think I've ever seen it too busy either.

Tonight I was on a rail replacement bus to Gatick Airport. From the drop off point to platform 6, it probably took me 6 minutes. I was walking at a reasonable pace though so someone else might need to allow longer.

If the newer large circulating area allowed people to enter and not just exit, one could probably take 4-5 off the walking time.

There are no signs directing you from thr bus stop to the airport station until you reach the front entrance. However, I know the route.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Other than when a train has arrived, I've never seen it busy. The exit was going to be an entrance as well, I believe. It has what must be one of the least used ticket machines in the country.

 

[Minstral25]

There are hardly any passenger information screens up there - just next train at each platform which is rather useless if your train isn't next and very few downward escalators. So, it's primary (and presumably only design use) is for getting to the Airport through the footbridges - as those are narrow and can get very congested then you'd need a lot of circulating space whilst queueing for the bridge.

Trouble is the signage on the platform is not clear that you should use the other footbridge when changing trains, resulting in lots of lost people standing up there

 

[RichJF]

Got pretty busy when there was a fatality at East Croydon last Weds (29 Jan) in peak PM rush hour & there were no trains running for a good 30-45 mins.

 

[infobleep]

Thanks for the replies. So it has served a purpose fir larger numbers of people at least once.

I do wish it had entrance gates as well as exit though.