Amenity and opportunity at rail stations

Abstract

Station design is most effective where a customer amenity perspective is mobilised. This paper lists and describes the items that should be ‘standard’ amenities for rail stations, along with discussion of the amenity and opportunity offered through inclusion of retail or hospitality uses in stations. Better stations are designed on the assumption of improving the overall journey experience. On arrival, the passenger needs to be directed through the process of ticketing, obtaining journey information, and either proceeding to their platform or waiting in a convenient and comfortable location. With greater care and attention focused on these elements, and through treating passengers with respect and deference, easier and more amenable movement is facilitated and better public transport outcomes overall are delivered. Internationally, many locations provide at least a minimal convenience retail offering in stations. That same international experience is also showing that opportunities for station retail extend far beyond convenience formats, however. The second portion of the paper is dedicated to the incorporation of retail in station projects. A benchmarking of station passenger footfall is offered, as it relates to indicative retail development opportunity (cross-referenced from traditional shopping centre format parameters).