A huge influx of daytrippers leaving Brighton after soaking up the sun on the hottest day of the year so far led to overcrowding at Brighton Station last night.
Many passengers complained they felt unsafe in the chaos at the station, which led management to close the barriers before trains arrived to stop dangerous overcrowding on the platforms.
When the barriers did open, passengers rushed through to get onto the trains.
@Brightonstation #Brightonstation #stampedebrighton Go!!! pic.twitter.com/kEseZcFidj
— Tim Greenway (@timgreenway) May 8, 2016
A Southern Rail spokesperson said: “Due to the hot weather and numerous events taking place in the area, Brighton experienced large volumes of visitors this weekend.
“With a high influx of passengers returning home from Brighton station yesterday evening, measures were put in place to ensure the safety of our customers which resulted in overcrowding on the concourse.
“Services ran as scheduled and in order to alleviate crowding on board our trains first class was declassified on some services.”
However, the ever chippy unofficial Brighton Station account, apparently run by a rail employee, said that the daytrippers’ inexperience of big crowds helped contribute.
You can tell they are amateur travellers and not experienced commuters! Chaos At Brighton Train Station – https://t.co/dATPy8LC7U
— Brighton Station (@brightonstation) May 8, 2016
It’s obvious why the gates are shut: last thing you want is a crush of people on a platform with somebody being pushed off of it onto track
— Brighton Station (@brightonstation) May 9, 2016
Lots of commuters laughing at the pictures of last night…. “call that a crowd of people waiting for train?” @BBCSussex @HeartSussexNews
— Brighton Station (@brightonstation) May 9, 2016
Every other Saturday if your a Brighton fan trying to get to the amex needs sorting
Well southern will have to stop running a out of date victorian sunday service, and get in the 21 century
They were right to close the barriers. I arrived home at about 5.30 and the platforms were so full it was dangerous. A couple of PCSOs were desperately trying to stop people getting into the platform but people just snuck past them. As a result it probably took 10 minutes to empty my train.
Stop coming to Brighton, and using it as your rubbish bin.
For heavens sake it’s always like that on nice weekends
Did you leave anything behind yesterday on Brighton Beach?https://youtu.be/6MRrsxGbjzc
Isn’t that normal? Makes me think how the 2nd mainline in and out of Brighton would help alleviate these pressures. Get building it.
@amy – how would a second mainline in and out of Brighton help? You’d also need extra platforms and probably another station.
And we do have extra routes if really required – via Littlehampton and Lewes – what does BML2 give you?
I believe, but could be wrong, that the problem was made worse by it being a Sunday with the normal reduced train service – coupled with everyone wanting to return at the same time.
I also saw some people saying that re-nationalising the train operating companies (TOCs) was a solution, but without being able to explain why.