Shepherd's Bush station

Nay – just a common sense modification to current design 'standards'. At the moment it has been: whitewash, glass-sheet, metal and 'let's-put-that-there-because-it-looks-pretty'. Not, 'Let's think about the current problems we already have on the network with drainage/leaks/space/access issues/where everything is at the moment.' Just look at the SSL (or SSR, whatever) platforms at King's Cross St. Pancras. Don't get me wrong – I can see Shepherd's Bush is a great improvement from what it was, and especially in the time it has taken, but there was a day when designing a station actually required being original and incorporating functionality to the design, not just following the 'modernisation' blueprint and adding a few extra straight lines, pencil marks, 90º, 30º and 60º angles to the isometric drawings and tiling/plastering over what already exists/works well. Long term effects were thought out, which is why stations on the Underground have survived for as long as they have, though it is obvious that requirements of today request the changes that we're all experiencing.

If people had actually concentrated on planning stations like Shepherd's Bush and other refurbs that were necessary, then all of these modernisation jobs would look less of a 'Changing Rooms'esque plan. All that time and money wasted on refurbing stations that in the grand scheme of things could have gone on for another 10-20 years (yes – the Uxbridge branch of the Met really needed to have all its station roundels replaced so that they matched current design standards) could have been used to ensure stations like Shepherd's Bush were turned around in the same time, but to a better standard. Because we all like duct tape on the walls and puddles on the floor of a 'newly refurbished/finished' station. The problem I'd previously stated regarding lighting is just one thing I'd like to highlight, and of course you can see other members have highlighted other issues with the station, which backs up what I said about design incorporating functionality (or 'actually putting some thought into something'). I'm not gunning down the refurbishment – definitely not – I'm just being critical because the fact the station has opened with an unfinished feeling is just so typical of many refurbs of late. Of course, you can't have everything, and like all new things they have their teething problems to begin with, but whatever happened to finishing a job off properly? The public and the staff deserve that. If you're not using Shepherd's Bush every day, think about the people who do, as well as the people who have to work there.

To conclude with my original point about the gates and the effects of lighting at ticket hall level: Though the older UTS gates are more responsive, if somebody would just change the PODs to that on the new-style gates, we'd be sussed. It's just an opinion based on my experience of doing my time on the stations and having to work with members of the public who have to try every single gate there is on the gateline because they genuinely cannot see what direction the gates have been set. Freedom of speech, right? I mean, you've just asked me if I'd prefer a dark station. Of course I don't want a dark station, but if you don't understand where I'm coming from, then don't get all defensive.

Rant over.