London SE1 > News & Features > January 2000

Concourse clutter or convenience?

Passengers using Waterloo station can now take advantage of a wider range of shops and services on the concourse. High Street names like Thornton's, Dixons and Victoria Wine are among the new outlets, but Railtrack's building work has deprived passengers of a substantial area of circulation space on the concourse. To the frustration of many commuters, the new shops also block views of the indicator boards. And just as the new shops were opening, South West Trains unveiled a plan for the demolition of the concourse in order to extend the platforms, enabling longer trains to serve the station.