2nd Edition

Station Layout 15
2.8 Capacity Requirements
It is recommended that the following limits should be applied to station
areas for demand levels under normal peak conditions:
Platforms, ticket halls and concourses — 0.8 sq m per person
Passageways
• one way — 50 persons per minute/m width
• twoway—40personsperminute/mwidth
Fixed Stairways
• one way — 35 persons per minute/m width
• twoway—28personsperminute/mwidth
To allow for ‘peaks within a peak’ it is wise to use the calculated peak
fifteen-minute flow figure, which can be derived from the one-hour figure
by multiplying by 0.3.
Similarly the peak five-minute flow figure can be derived by multiplying
the fifteen-minute figure by 0.4. This five-minute figure should be used when
testing the layout ‘tight spots’ to ensure that dangerous situations do not
occur during the short lived period when crowding exceeds desirable levels
at a restricted localised point.
The capacity of entrances and exits to street level should follow the
guidelines above. From subsurface ticket halls/concourse areas there should
be at least two exits to the street each of which must be able to take the
full peak level demand albeit under crowded conditions.
Locations which are fed by exits from stations need to be examined
to ensure that no bottle-necks exist immediately outside station buildings.
This is particularly important where stations exit into Local Authority
subways, shopping malls or where sporting events are likely to produce
‘tidal wave’ crowding.
2.9 Ticket Halls
The location and size of station entrances will be determined by establishing
the principal directions in which passengers may wish to leave or
approach the station. In addition to determining passenger flows into and
through the ticket hall it is necessary to identify all activities which need
to take place there. These will vary in scope and degree between main line
railways, metros and light rail.