Overview

• Network Rail is trialing a policy at London’s King’s Cross station where long-distance trains are removed from departure boards three minutes before they leave to prevent last-minute sprints.
• Final boarding announcements for these trains will now be made four minutes before departure, with no changes to actual boarding times, which remain up to 20 minutes before departure.
• Critics, including disability advocates, argue the policy is patronizing and creates barriers for disabled passengers and those relying on real-time information to locate platforms.
• The trial follows safety concerns and overcrowding issues at nearby Euston station, where last-minute announcements led to dangerous platform rushes and prompted a safety improvement notice in 2023.
• Passengers have expressed frustration, fearing the policy forces reliance on third-party apps or staff assistance for platform details, making travel more stressful and less accessible.