Underground, overground: Cubic’s Smart gating keeps London Paddington on the rails
Dating back to 1854, Paddington’s a station worthy of twenty-first century travel - around 96,000 passengers
pass through the station every day, equating to approximately 35 million annually. And it has a reputation for
excellence - a reputation in which Cubic Transportation Systems (CTS) plays an integral part.
Cubic has just completed Phase 1 of engineering works to install 58 wide aisle gates (WAGs) throughout the station –
with a further 27 planned in Phase 2, now under way. The station’s Grade 1 Listed status – as well as its volume of
passengers – makes it a considerable challenge to carry out major engineering works in this environment.
The wide aisle gates at Paddington Station
However, our highly experienced team and project manager always put passenger safety and comfort first. At any one
time, a team of around 15 installation, engineering and health and safety experts are carrying out intricate operations
beneath the station’s surface, and outside of train and tube operating hours.
Once the engineering work is complete in June 2008, passengers will begin to see noticeable improvements. When
queues at gatelines build up, people with excess baggage can quickly opt for the wide aisle option. It will also
make travelling much easier for people who have a disability.
Overall, passenger-flow will be considerably more controlled and streamlined. And, with customer throughput data
collected by WAG gate operators, train companies will be able to act upon passenger demand and operate gates when
and where they’re most needed – keeping London Paddington well on track for years to come.
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