On posters, on leaflets, and over the tannoy. Saturation coverage. A desperate attempt by TfL to keep the travelling public away from a pair of congested City stations while they upgrade the ageing escalators. The warren of tunnels linking the various platforms is ridiculously complicated and tortuous at the best of times, and any attempt at interchange often involves a five minute mountaineering trek. But from Monday this week, for the next 70 weeks, no interchange is possible.
"No interchange at Bank and Monument stations until August 2009 During major escalator upgrade and replacement work you will not be able to interchange at Bank and Monument stations (except between the DLR and Northern lines)"
Well, so it says in the ¼million leaflets they've had printed. But, what do you know, this turns out to be a whopping white lie. I've been down into the bowels of the station, for two consecutive rush hours, and interchanging wasn't impossible at all. A bit circuitous and inconvenient maybe, but still considerably faster than using some of the ridiculous roundabout routes via alternative stations that various leaflets are proposing. TfL would probably rather I didn't tell you the following...
Interchange 1: Central(Bank) → Northern(Bank) Normally this interchange (3→9) can be made without ever using an escalator. A quick dash down the spiral staircase (from 3), a walk along a long passageway (to 7) and down some steps (9). Not any more. The spiral staircase is closed ("to avoid overcrowding") and there's only one exit from the Central line platforms (3). I had no choice - it had to be up the escalator and out through the barriers into the ticket hall (1). Not surprisingly, the ticket hall was quite crowded. Even more crowded was the unfit-for-purpose narrow passageway between the ticket hall (1) and the Lombard Street entrance (4). Then it was back through the barriers and a choice of routes back down into the depths. Either to wait for one of the four lifts (it's not exactly high capacity, this) or to walk 128 kneecap-numbing steps down the clunky 16-flight metal staircase. Phew. And after this very long up and down slog, where was I? In the big tiled chamber (7) just above the Northern line platforms (9). If only TfL had left the lower passageway open (3→7) I could have walked here in just a minute. But no, they sent me up an escalator, along an alleyway and down in a lift. Is it just me, or is this meandering detour actually serving only to increase congestion all around the station?
Interchange 2: DLR(Bank) → District(Monument) I decided to attempt this interchange (8→11) because it should now be an utter nightmare. Bank and Monument stations have been severed, so this particular connection should involve heading the long way up to daylight at Bank (8→6→5→4), walking along King William Street (4→13) and then re-entering the system at Monument (13). Ten minutes, minimum. And yes, the direct escalator (8→12) is now boarded up. But I nipped up from the DLR to the Northern line (8→9) and, what a surprise, this exit to Monument was still open! The escalator (9→10) was still running, both ways! No blocked-off barriers at all, just straight up the quick way to the District line (11). Two minutes, maximum. Bloody liars! The Bank/Monument interchange IS STILL OPEN. TfL haven't cut the link between the two stations at all. They probably will at some point, but in the meantime they're just scaring passengers away for no particularly good reason. They're delighting in sending those of us who use the station scurrying round an ever-changing maze of one-way tunnels like rats in a laboratory maze. And they clearly want to piss us off so much that we go somewhere else, anywhere else but here. For 70 weeks. I feel deliberately misguided.
So, next time TfL tell you to avoid changing at Bank/Monument because no interchange is possible, do treat their urgings with a huge pinch of salt. Because there's plenty of interchange. I'm sure that telling fibs helps to keep TfL's health and safety people happy, but these two stations aren't as dead and buried as we're being told. Only one set of escalators is currently closed, and all the other disruption is due to blocked-off passageways and one-way systems. Why not come and find out for yourself?
Normally this interchange (3→9) can be made without ever using an escalator. A quick dash down the spiral staircase (from 3), a walk along a long passageway (to 7) and down some steps (9). Not any more. The spiral staircase is closed ("to avoid overcrowding") and there's only one exit from the Central line platforms (3). I had no choice - it had to be up the escalator and out through the barriers into the ticket hall (1). Not surprisingly, the ticket hall was quite crowded. Even more crowded was the unfit-for-purpose narrow passageway between the ticket hall (1) and the Lombard Street entrance (4). Then it was back through the barriers and a choice of routes back down into the depths. Either to wait for one of the four lifts (it's not exactly high capacity, this) or to walk 128 kneecap-numbing steps down the clunky 16-flight metal staircase. Phew. And after this very long up and down slog, where was I? In the big tiled chamber (7) just above the Northern line platforms (9). If only TfL had left the lower passageway open (3→7) I could have walked here in just a minute. But no, they sent me up an escalator, along an alleyway and down in a lift. Is it just me, or is this meandering detour actually serving only to increase congestion all around the station?
