In station information, the lack thereof and the quality thereof

[Colm Donoghue]

I just thought it'd be an idea to collate all our gripes regarding static information displays, after seeing the south electronic display on Platform1 in Pearse hidden behind a sign for... Platform1 in Pearse.

I'll add:

no platform signs on the south of the northbound platform in Killester, if you're at the back of a train, you won't know what station it is (until you leave the station)

platform signs too high to be seen by standing customers

any other station information gripes feel free to add to the list.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Killester is strainge in that whenever I get off the DART there I always get lost when leaving the station!! I heard that they were to move the station lock stock and barrell to where the car park is on Collins Avenue, has anyone else heard of this?

And yes, I have noticed that there are a lack of signs going down the northbound platform telling you where you are.

[markpb]

I can't find any photos now but LA and a lot of other cities have a strip running all the way along both side walls, like this:

>>> Station Name >>> Direction/Terminus >>>

showing you the current station, the direction of the train and (by arrows) the direction you need to go to exit the station. As soon as you get off the train, you know which way to walk. It's only a simple thing but it makes life much easier and, in busy stations, much faster.

[James Shields]

Signs have improved, but it can still be really hard to tell which station you are in in some places. There needs to be a sign visible from every door of a train. This is especially important since under the new cream and grey colour scheme a lot of stations that were distinct now look the same. For example, you used to be able to tell Killester and Harmonstown apart because Killester had yellow walls and Harmonstown was green. Not that you can expect tourists to know that.

I also think exit signs are a problem in many stations. When they're quiet it's easy to just follow the crowd, but when it's busy it can be really hard to know which way to go. I'd like to see exit signs at similar regularity to the station name signs.

I like the idea of a continuous strip of information along the walls. Obviously this is only practical in stations which have walls of sufficient height.

I think the London Underground does this quite effectively, although it uses "Way out" rather then the international exit symbol. In many stations they will have a continuous strip showing which way to go for the exit, plus colour coded directions for other lines.

[Mark Gleeson]

Here are a few a classic ones

[markpb]

I got off the train in Kilbarrack station for the first time yesterday and I wasn't sure what station it was until I was off the station. We were on the last carriage of a 6 unit set (I think) and the nearest sign with the station name was no-where near my carriage. Of course the internal displays were off and the were no audio annoucements at all.

[Colm Donoghue]

They are a few gems there Mark. that's what I was on about. Unacceptable stuff really in this day and age.
The luas information signs are another disaster.

[James Shields]

One thing that almost every London Underground station has next to the exit is a map showing the local area, with sensible things like bus stops, pubs and shops and tourist attractions marked on it. This is usually acompanied by a more diagramatic one showing things like bus connections.

We could really do with something like this in our stations. Luas stations now have at least a map.

One thing I noticed in Lansdowne was a notice listing walking times to various places. This is all good and helpful, but it gives no hint even of which way to turn when you exit the station. Like quite a few other stations, Lansdowne is down a tree lined road, and if you're not familiar with the area, there is little indication of which way civilisation lies. A simple signpost indicating things like Ballsbridge, RDS, Lansdowne Stadium (yes I know that should be obvious), Irishtown.

I'm sure other stations could do with similar treatment.

[Colm Donoghue]

The clock on the display at the GCD end of platform 1 at Pearse no longer works/is turned off. this is a bit annoying as the other clock is hard to see from this end of the station.

[d8boy]

Luas stops are another information deficit zone. Charlemont is a favorite hobby-horse of mine as there are 2 exits stairs, one each side of the canal. There are no signs directing you to any exit - that the southern end is not exactly obvious - and nothing to indicate which is the best exit for which direction.

Similar stations abroad with more than 1 exit often have signs on the platform indicating the main streets and landmarks served by the various exits and the direction to follow. So the northbound plaform on Charlemont might have
<< Exit towards Grand Parade, Ranelagh Road & Dartmouth Square<<
>>Exit towards Charlemont Place, Charlemont Street & Hilton Hotel >>
Similarly the stairs on the northern entrance branch half-way up but there's no sign to say which stairs to take for which direction. I know you can cross over when you're up there but this may not be known by the prospective passenger.

The Luas maps are a start but I'm not sure how useful some of the information is: fire stations are marked but more useful details like hotels and shops are not. And the south east quadrant of each map is lost to allow room for a badly-written Veolia "mission statement" message.

The problem is not confined to Luas or rail stations. As a country we just can't manage to produce meaningful signs. The problem is more endemic than our legendary roadsigns. Try finding your way around an Irish hospital or figuring out how to be treated in A&E without asking someone "Where do I go...". In Dublin Airport some signs are in English only, some are in Irish too, some have pictograms, some don't, and every sign appears to be in a different font.

The attitude seems to be that the country is very small, everyone should know where they are going, and if they don't they can speak English (maybe Irish too) to ask directions from a friendly local.

And don't get me started on bus stops....

[James Shields]

Yes, and what about the electronic displays telling us when the next tram is coming? Why are they 1-sided? Given that they are 1-sided, why aren't they at the very end of the platform so they can be seen along its entire length? Many are in the middle of the platform so half the platform can't see them.

Aside from that, why can't they contain a little more information? The most basic thing which should be included is a clock. And are they connected to the signalling system at all? I find it amusing how often you'll be standing on the platform with the display saying the next tram is "Due" for several minutes with no tram in sight. Once or twice I've seen two trams listed as Due at the same time.

Still, the maps showing the local area are more than IÉ have ever given us.

[Colm Donoghue]

Dear Mr.D,

Thank you for your e-mail.

The passenger information displays (PIDs) on platforms are located so
that most people waiting on a particular platform can see them. As trams
approach from the right (as you look at the opposite platform), the PIDs
are located at the right hand side of the platform, facing towards where
the majority of people would wait for a tram. In almost all cases there
is a sheltered stop. At Balally however there is not as the design/
layout of the platform does not allow for it.

Yours sincerely,

Railway Procurement Agency

[Mark Gleeson]

The actual correct answer is

We f*****d up the design and the ones on the new lines will be double sided

[markpb]

That's a hilarious answer from RPA. Sounds like they modeled their stations on bus stops with poles.

[Colm Donoghue]

Hi there.
I was wondering why the displays on luas platforms are only visible from
certain parts of the platforms.
Is it a design flaw?
Is it a design feature?
Is it a cost saving measure?

For example in Balally the display can only be seen by standing south of
the display where there is no shelter if it is raining.
But if it's raining, everyone stands in under cover, North of the
display and can't see it.

Yours truly,
Colm D

[James Shields]

At Balally however there is not as the design/
layout of the platform does not allow for it.

Surely all they had to do is mount the display facing the other direction (I'm not too familiar with the station, so I don't know how much of the platform is unable to see it). Doesn't explain why the displays are 1-sided.

[Colm Donoghue]

In tara, on the northbound platform the other day.
Looking up and down the platfrom there is only one exit sign visible, pointing at the new exit which is still under construction and is not an exit. There is an exit sign on the platform wall ( i.e. parallel with the track and invisible unless you look away from the track or are on the southbound platform) pointing towards the normal exit, visible when you walk towards the not-an-exit-yet

[Colm Donoghue]

Originally Posted by colmd

In tara, on the northbound platform the other day.
Looking up and down the platfrom there is only one exit sign visible, pointing at the new exit which is still under construction and is not an exit. There is an exit sign on the platform wall ( i.e. parallel with the track and invisible unless you look away from the track or are on the southbound platform) pointing towards the normal exit, visible when you walk towards the not-an-exit-yet

Just to bump this as it still applies. The only exit signs visible from most of the station point away from the exits.

[zag]

At least it was till relatively recently. I haven't checked in the last few weeks, but for a long time the only exit sign on the southbound platform pointed to the old stairs with the locked entrance. I know there is a big thing that looks like a bridge in the other direction but there are a lot of people who put their faith in signage.

How the people watching the CCTV must laugh as they see visitors walking all the way to the end of the platform, scratch their head in wonder, check the other side of the stairs just in case, double check the signage and then resignedly walk back up the platform to the *actual* exit.

z

[Colm Moore]

Originally Posted by colmd

At Balally however there is not as the design/
layout of the platform does not allow for it.

Because we got the local developer, with no experience in railway design, to do everything, including putting steps on the direct route out, meaning people with prams / wheelchairs / folding bicycles need to use the car park.