‘Significant safety risk’ at York station for passengers

LNER has applied to City of York Council to replace terrazzo flooring at York railway station on the inner and outer concourses and between platforms five and eight with natural stone.

The existing terrazzo flooring has been identified as a persistent safety hazard, particularly during warm and wet weather, due to its tendency to become slippery, the council planning documents read.

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When the concrete flooring is cooler than the surrounding air, moisture can condensate on the surface which creates a significant slip hazard.

Design documents within the plans said: “LNER has sought to manage this risk over several years and has tried a variety of approaches, including chemical etching, anti-slip coating, ad hoc matting and enhanced cleaning arrangements.

“However, none of these alternatives have been successful in arresting the increase in risk.

“These options, in the long term, are also much more expensive and disruptive than replacing the flooring with a more suitable alternative.”

The proposal is to remove all areas of terrazzo flooring from the outer and inner concourses of York railway station and between platforms five and eight and replace it with a more suitable alternative (Image: Network Rail)

Specialist advice has indicated that terrazzo is not suitable for use in environments that are not climate-controlled, such as York station, the plans said.

In addition, the bespoke nature of the flooring makes repairs difficult, often resulting in patches that do not match the original finish and detract from the Grade II* listed-station’s historic character.

LNER is proposing to invest in new flooring for the affected areas using a natural sandstone product.

The selection followed a detailed evaluation process that considered slip resistance, durability, ease of maintenance, cost, and heritage considerations.

The plans said: “There was therefore a strong overall consensus within the project to proceed with a lighter Yorkstone (with softer yellow tones), the Woodkirk.

“This was bolstered by its proven use at other stations, its operational benefits in terms of maintenance and slip resistance and the consistency offered throughout the LNER estate.”

The proposal is to remove all areas of terrazzo flooring from the outer and inner concourses of York railway station and between platforms five and eight and replace it with a more suitable alternative (Image: Network Rail)

The council was engaged in a pre-application process, which included a site visit and formal feedback.

While council officers expressed a preference for grey-toned stone, the project team concluded that such materials would darken excessively over time, the plans say.

The replacement of the terrazzo flooring forms part of LNER’s broader efforts to improve passenger and staff safety while preserving the station’s heritage value.

The new flooring is expected to reduce incidents of slips and falls and will be easier to maintain.

Routine repairs will be simpler to complete without compromising the appearance of the concourse areas.

City of York Council said consultation on the plans runs until Wednesday, August 19