This has been an issue for decades: the quickest way into Flinders Street station from the north, the Campbell Arcade/Degraves Street subway taking you under the road, had zero signage to direct you there.
Unless you knew, how would you guess it takes you to the station?
I seem to recall being told there was nothing that could be done… because it’s council property. (Okay, so… maybe ask the council if signage can go up?)
But now there’s progress!
When the arcade re-opened after Metro tunnel works, little seemed to have changed externally.
Until… sometime in the past week or two… new, clearer, recognisable signage that actually tells you it’s the way to the station!
This has not come in isolation.
As part of preparation for the Metro tunnel, there’s been a raft of signage changes around the CBD and interchange stations, including exit numbers, directions to/from the new stations, more Passenger Information Displays (screens) and what appears to be added capability for real-time info onto more signage… it’s not clear yet exactly how these will be used.
Building stuff is expensive. Putting proper signage on it isn’t free, but it is very cheap in comparison.
Alongside good infrastructure and services, good effective way finding and information is important, so this feels like progress.
2 replies on “A small win”
Also a small loss – when the Degraves St subway was closed to the public for the Metro Tunnel works, they removed a myki card vending machine (CVM) which was against the wall next to the barriers. When it reopened, the machine had been replaced with a small cashless top-up machine on the opposite side, with nowhere to buy a physical myki besides upstairs.
PTV also did the same thing back in 2018 at the Yarra end of the Elizabeth St subway, when platform 10 received its new western entrance (it’s still the new entrance to me) the subway’s myki machine disappeared and was replaced with an extra set of barriers near the ramp.
At least in platform 10’s case they added two machines in lieu of the subway’s single machine. No such luck in the Campbell Arcade/Degraves St subway though, where the nearest one is at street level or Town Hall station.
I actually always kind of liked the fact that it was an access point just for locals who were “in the know.” Let the tourists take that long way round. It feels like the city just doesn’t have any secrets like that anymore…