Preston station was named as the 6th worst station in the UK with platform access via the steps as one of the worst features. The government announced that the worst stations would get a total of £50m spent on them to improve car parking, platform access, refreshments and toilets etc. The top ten includes: Manchester Victoria, Preston, Wigan, Warrington, Stockport, Crewe, Liverpool Central in the north west.
I didn’t think Preston station was that bad although maybe my expectations aren’t very high. I always expect to stand in a cold wind with some water dripping off the roof on any station. I expect to only be able to get coffee in a cardboard cup and not be sure if its tea or coffee and a choice of Club biscuits or Penguins. A dark subway. To pay a fortune to park your car so you would only do it if on expenses. The toilets to be somewhere distant, cleanish in a 19th century way but cold and suspicious with the feeling someone is in a cubicle doing something you don’t want to know about.
Railway staff tend to look cleaner nowadays especially the Virgin Rail ones. I recall not too long ago a gent with what looked like an oilskin walking down the platform, he turned out to be a porter, wouldn’t be keen for him to brush against my bags.
Preston has some of these features, especially the outer platforms. It has TV displays which give it a more modern feel, although I made the mistake of reading the arrivals and stood on the wrong platform, my wife wasn’t impressed with me.
Preston station is an impressive building in total and it should be preserved, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be modernised. Some enclosing to protect more from the elements, a few escalators, an update of the amenities and covered walkway into the Fishergate Centre. Perhaps diversion of buses into the forecourt.
Some people think this announcement which seems to effect mainly the north-west is a pre-election vote buyer. It might be, but never look a gift horse in the mouth.