Suggestion to improve the Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park railway stations

TfL, via Lewisham council, asked the Forest Hill Society what minor improvements should be made to local stations when they take over in September. Here's our list:

Forest Hill Station

• Improvements to lighting, cleanliness and general condition of the underpass
• CCTV coverage of the underpass and car park
• Better safety announcements for when a train that is not scheduled to stop at the station is passing through (the notice tends to come through a bit late)
• The ticket barrier installation needs looking at as it can become pretty congested during peak times and will get worse as numbers increase with additional trains
• Repainting and improvement in the general condition of the platform lines and shelters
• Relocation of the fast ticket machine closest to the entrance as queuing customers (using the machine and those waiting to be served at the ticket office) can cause a bit of congestion around the entrance to the station
• Reinstatement of toilets - promised as part of the upgrade programme some time ago.

Honor Oak Park Station

• The up platform – to get on the last carriage when its an 8 coach train you need to go on the narrow bit under the bridge. This is really unsafe. Extend the platform or get trains to stop right at the far end. Block the platform at the south end to prevent passengers getting under the bridge.
• Provide cover between the end of the canopy out from the stairs up to the bridge so that all of the back end of the train has a proper covered platform.
• Stairs and bridge to both platforms – there are many examples of rotten wood and uneven steps. The glass was broken sometime ago and never replaced. A major programme is required to bring the steps up to a respectable standard.
• There is very little shelter on the down platform so when it rains/snows people huddle on the steps making it hard to access the platform. More shelter is required near the front of the train.
• If there were ever toilets at Honor Oak Park, they should be reinstated to meet the upgrade pledge.

Not included, are more obvious plans such as the opening of the Perry Vale exit, and longer term plans where additional funding will be required; such as opening a new exit at the Perry Vale car park. We have heard that DfT funding will be made available for a new disabled accessible footbridge, possibly as soon as May 2010.