Northern Ireland train station one of Top 10 worst in UK, says survey
Commuters in one part of Ulster are having a miserable time of it, a survey has said, leading them to rank their local train station among the worst in the United Kingdom.
Complaints about the Co Antrim facility range from its platforms being so cold that “butchers could hang meat” to grumbles about dirt and a lack of parking spaces.
The end result has seen Ballymena Railway Station come in at number four in UK-wide ranking of the most poorly-rated places.
It’s the only Northern Ireland station in the Top 10 worst list, which was published this week by a travel company.
Translink has sought to defend their facility, pointing to an upgraded park and ride facility that’s due to open soon.
The train station list of shame was compiled by tour operators Ski Vertigo, based on Google reviews submitted within the last 12 months.
Ballymena averaged 3.9 out of five, the company said – but one in eight reviewers stuck just a single mark on it, the lowest Google offers.
One reviewer called it an “extremely dated train station that needs modernising badly”, while another complained it was “dirty” with “no parking worthwhile” – and a further single-star review labelled it “the worst station in [Northern Ireland’s] network”.
An English station, Worcestershire Parkway, was named the UK’s worst with an average of 3.43 out of five.
The managing director of Ski Vertigo managing director of Ski Vertigo, Alex Dyer, stated that station reviews are usually written in a few minutes while a passenger is waiting on a platform, suggesting that experience is “really what these scores are judging”.
He added: “Plenty of holidays start on a platform, and those minutes feel a lot longer with a pushchair, a big suitcase and a lift that isn’t working. That’s why the same gripes keep coming up [across the UK], far more than complaints about old buildings, and nearly all of them could be fixed.”
Translink maintained Ballymena station is “an important facility” with a “key position” on a line between Belfast and Londonderry.
Said a spokeswoman: “Following an upgrade to the park and ride at the station, over 380 more parking spaces will be available within weeks.
“Enhancements also include improved pedestrian access, accessibility upgrades, covered cycle shelters, and high-quality landscaping.”