Awful station (Birmingham New Street Train Station)

Member Name: Pinkaims

Product:	Birmingham New Street Train Station
Date:	31/10/09 (30 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Are there any?

Disadvantages: Not accessable for pushchairs. Charging for toilets.

I have travelled to this station for the first time in years with my husband and 2 children (2 and 5).

What can I say - it was fine when we arrived and we had no problems.

On the return journey it was a different matter.

Our train was cancelled and I could not believe that other than on the platforms once you have gone through the ticket check point there are no seats to sit on. The only thing you can do is go to a platform and then have no idea where your train is leaving from, sit on the floor or go into one of the pubs or cafes, or go back out. With 2 children we had to go back out to try and find seats but none were free outside. I was gobsmacked that a station this big cannot accomodate people.

When our train was cancelled the staff were really unhelpful and gave us no information at all and could not tell us if the next one would definately arrive. Really helpful!

I then had a 5 year old desperate for the toilet - we I was amazed to find that they wanted 30p for the luxury of using the toilet - I am not sure if that is each or just for my daughter. As it happened I had not change so I had to go back out into the Bullring to find a toilet - unbelieveable, and not what you would expect!

The other bug bear is the difficulty to get down to platforms with a pushchair and sleeping child. There are no lifts and no escalators only stairs. So myself and husband had to carry the pushchair down the busy stair way whilst holding onto our 5 year old - while everyone else just pushed passed us - almost knocking my daughter over a number of times. Not very safe really and I have not got any idea what happens if you have mobility issues or a wheelchair.

I know that they are rebuilding it but even so you would think that they would have modernised it before now to make it more friendly for people.

Not a pleasant experience and puts me off going back especially with young children.

Summary: Think I may avoid this place until it has been redone.