Queen Street is ‘most unpopular’ station in the UK
● Glasgow Queen Street named most unpopular station in UK, survey finds
Glasgow Queen Street has been rated as Britain’s most unpopular railway station.
Only 58 per cent of passengers said they were “satisfied” with the transport hub in a survey carried out by independent watchdog Transport Focus.
Respondents described the station as an “absolute bomb site”.
Glasgow Queen Street has been given an unwanted accolade after frustrated commuters named it Britain’s most unpopular railway station.
A survey of tens of thousands of rail passengers found the city terminus was easily the most reviled station anywhere in the UK, with travellers describing it as a “mess” and an “absolute bomb site”.
The survey by Transport Focus, an independent watchdog, found only 58 per cent of passengers were “satisfied” with the station. It was carried out between September and November last year, shortly after a £100 million modernisation project at Glasgow Queen Street got under way.
But nine months into the work, some passengers remain unhappy with the condition of the station, which is used by thousands of commuters travelling between Glasgow and Edinburgh every day.
Cameron Macintosh, 32, a sales adviser from Stirling, said: “The station is an absolute bomb site at the moment.
“It really looks like a place from the third world. I try and avoid it.”
John Mcinnes, a 46-yearold technician from Cumbernauld, added: “I hope they are going to finish it because it looks a disaster just now.
“It’s embarrassing bringing friends or relations here. They can’t believe the mess of the place.”
Receptionist Margaret Mcginley, 36, from Larbert, said: “It will look bad for a while, but I think it’ll be amazing when they’ve completed the renovation work.”
The Abellio Scotrail-operated station was used by 15 million passengers in 2016-17, making it Scotland’s third busiest station.
The second worst score was given for the station serving Gatwick Airport (66 per cent), followed by Oxford (67 per cent) and Clapham Junction (69 per cent). There was a 90 per cent satisfaction rating at Edinburgh Waverley, with the figure rising to 91 per cent among passengers at Glasgow Central station.
Transport Focus chief executive Anthony Smith said: “While Glasgow Queen Street is being redeveloped, it’s vital the Scotrail Alliance continues to talk to passengers about the improvements and makes sure staff are on hand to help.
“Investment in stations can improve passengers’ satisfaction when targeted at features which make a difference to their experience. “Passengers’ top priorities for stations include arrival time information, waiting rooms and the overall look and feel of the station.”
A spokesman for the Rail Delivery group, which represents the rail industry, said: “As part of the partnership railway’s longterm plan and to deliver on our commitment to boost local communities, we’re investing to improve 178 small and medium-sized stations right across the country.”
Transport Focus surveyed more than 28,000 passengers, with 56 stations where at least 100 people responded included in the ranking.