How Bank-Monument falls apart
Just as I was finishing my diagram of Bank-Monument a couple of weeks ago, TfL cryptically announced they'd be closing various bits today for escalator refurbishment. I went for a shufty on my way home today, and this is what I found: 
[ Update: several closed routes are now open ]
So while the headline was that there's no interchange between Bank and Monument, in reality there's a perfectly cromulent interchange route between the two (which unsurprisingly seemed much quieter than usual).
Rather wonderfully, the new hoarding around the very work at Monument that's causing "Bank and Monument to effectively operate as two separate stations" has a big sticker on it pointing out there's a direct route to the Central Line and the DLR - which are where again?
Meanwhile, they have closed the three underground routes between the north and south bits of Bank, none of which contain escalators, forcing thousands of people through a tiny passageway upstairs in the ticket hall.
According to the leaflet, this phase lasts until this August August 2009, when we get all new lies.
10 comments:
I was there at rush hour this afternoon and it was complete chaos. Everyone was trapped at the aptly named Khyber Pass and people were being sent to nearby stations (St. Pauls/Liverpool St or Moorgate) to get their trains. Because of the crush I couldn't get to the Waterloo and City line.. although it seemed to be easier to get to if you came in from another entrance. Will have to see what it's like tomorrow - hope that things improve once people realise the easiest way to get their platforms.
Looking at your map - the only way down to the northern line/dlr platforms is via the escalators which are just past the Lombard St entrance? No wonder it was so crowded!
Just to be clear I've named it the "Khyber Pass", which I've stolen from a no-longer-Khybery passageway at King's Cross St Pancras.
The Lombard St escalators were up only when I was there. The only way down is by lift.
I transferred from the Central (westbound) to the Northern (southbound) today and got charged for two journeys on Oyster prepay. Be warned!
They make you go through two barriers..
OK, looks like I'll be avoiding that station on the rare occasions I need to change there. My sympathies to those who need to use it more often.
BTW, great use of the word "cromulent", a word surely to embiggen the Oxford English Dictionary soon!
TfL say that as long as you go back through the barriers within 30 minutes then you will only be charged once, so get in touch with them if that was the case but you paid twice!
30 minutes is a short amount of time; it's taken me that long to get out the station when the Waterloo & City was suspended when I was waiting on the (very crowded) platform due to a faulty train. I think it's unreasonable to expect someone to get from the platform, out of the (also very crowded) entrance/exit and then walk to Moorgate/Liverpool St within 30 minutes if they've never done it before.
Minor correction - it's not screwed until this August. No, sir. It's screwed until next August...
Rob
I got it refunded, but it meant queuing up at my destination and explaining what had happened. I certainly didn't take 30 minutes, but think changing at TCR may be easier in future.
Since yesterday, they've also been opening the tunnel from "the cruciform area" to the W+C line, in that direction only (the purple line on your diagram). Still no idea why they can't open the Central line stairs in that direction too, for all the people coming in from the Nothern and DLR (and secretly from Monument).
Somehow it took them 15 months to refurbish the 4 escalators they've done so far. Doesn't bode very well for the remaining 12 or so.
Its for reasons like this I now walk above ground whenever i interchange here.
The station was never great what with all the stairwells and the non working escalators.
It has never been the most wisely constructed station, its just been add on platforms and corridors ever since it was built as a terminus for the central line back in 1901 (?) hence why there is that curved central line platform which TfL has had to get special permission to continue to use them from the HSE.
ive just started working near bank a few weeks back. a fortnight ago they gave out flyers describing a change in accessibility with a map eerily similar to yours!
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